Lancaster man charged in connection with strangulation of repairwoman

The man accused of strangling an Antelope Valley woman who came to fix his refrigerator on July 14 has a history of mental illness and a 2013 conviction for assault and criminal threats against a family member, authorities say.

William Franklin Hughes III, 30, was prescribed medication, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza said, “but we don’t know if he was taking” it. 

Hughes was charged July 18 with one count of murder in the strangulation of Lyndi Lee Fisher, a 36-year-old appliance repair technician who went to Hughes’ home four days earlier.

The murder charge includes the allegation that Hughes was convicted in 2013 of making criminal threats, said Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

The threats were against his father, William Franklin Hughes, 65, Mendoza said. Hughes also was convicted of assault in that case.

Hughes lives alone in Lancaster in the 43200 block of Doverwood Court, in a home owned by his parents, Mendoza said.

Fisher, a repair technician for Arrow Appliance, went to Hughes’ home about 6 p.m. July 14 for her last job of the day. It was her second visit to the house, and she brought parts to make the repair.

At 11:11 p.m., Hughes called the Sheriff’s Department to report that a woman was unresponsive in his home. When deputies arrived, they found Fisher inside Hughes’ garage, Mendoza said.

Hughes told investigators he had left the house after Fisher arrived, and when he returned, he found her on the floor. 

Fisher, a married mother of three, was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:23 p.m. Mendoza said she suffered blunt force trauma to her head, but the cause of death was ruled as manual strangulation, according to coroner’s records.

Investigators arrested Hughes the following morning, based on evidence found at the scene and conflicting statements he made to detectives, Mendoza said. He in due back in court Aug. 18. 

Fisher’s boss Christy Savoie-Knop, the owner of Arrow Appliance, has started an online fundraising account to help Fisher’s family. Less than a week after the fundraiser began,  it was about $2,000 short of its $20,000 goal. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.