A beloved first-grade teacher who inspired thousands of students and even worked alongside some of the biggest names in the country has been killed — and the man accused of her murder was right inside her home while she slept.
Arti Varma, 59, a first-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary School in Burbank, California, was stabbed to death in the early morning hours of April 20 inside her own home on North Brighton Street. Her 25-year-old daughter, Meera Varma, was also attacked and remains hospitalized in serious condition.
On April 23, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced charges against 30-year-old Sergio Meza Fraire of Burbank. He faces one count of murder with a special circumstance of lying in wait, one count of attempted murder, and one count of first-degree residential burglary. He is being held without bail and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.
If convicted, Fraire could face life in prison without parole — or even the death penalty.
Friends and colleagues remember Arti as a joyful, dedicated educator who loved her students deeply. Beyond the classroom, she was a mental health advocate and public speaker with a remarkable reach.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive, and it remains unclear whether Fraire knew his victims before the attack.
The case continues, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 12.
