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SALT LAKE CITY -- A man accused of beating his 86-year-old landlord on New Year's Day has been arrested in California.
According to the Unified Police Department, Arthel Martin turned himself in to the California Highway Patrol in San Francisco Monday afternoon. The victim's son said Martin's arrest was a huge relief.
"I can't get my mind around how anybody can do this to a wheelchair-bound, 86-year-old woman who had taken them in," said Larry Maddocks.
Martin has been on the run since Jan. 1, when he allegedly attacked his landlord Anne Smart-Pearce. Martin had rented a room in Smart-Pearce's Salt Lake County home a few days before the attack.
Smart-Pearce, who is still recovering from her injuries, says she can't remember what happened. But she thinks Martin may have been on drugs because he wasn't acting like himself when the attack happened.
"No, he never, never seemed aggressive," Smart-Pearce said. "He just was a gentleman."
Authorities can't confirm that Martin was on drugs, but they say robbery may have been the motive.
Smart-Pearce said Martin seemed like a nice man. She said he was helping her with a business she wanted to start.
She said she hasn't slept well since the attack because she's been scared.
"I have no animosity towards him. I just have love and forgiveness because I don't think he was himself," Smart-Pearce said.
Smart-Pearce said she was hoping Martin would be arrested so he couldn't hurt someone else. She said he should serve prison time.
In their efforts to help investigators make an arrest, the family set up a Facebook page called "Help Catch Arthel Martin."
Unified police said Martin will be booked into the San Francisco County Jail. They plan to travel to California to interview Martin and work on the extradition process.
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Story compiled with contributions from Sandra Yi and Paul Nelson.
