When an intruder barged into her apartment, he was expecting to take down Marrujo with ease. However, this lady had a big surprise in store for him!
In just several seconds, he immediately regretted his actions. The way this woman dealt with the intruder made her story go viral all over the world.
Knock
It was a lazy day and Lorenza didn't have many plans. After watering her plants and getting done with some household chores, she heard a knock on the door.
She got up, looked in the eyehole, and opened up the door. It was a familiar face but Lorenza could tell from a distance that the man was very intoxicated. He was asking for his girlfriend.
Donald Robert Prestwood
Lorenza soon realized that it was Donald Robert Prestwood. Prestwood also lived in the same complex and did jobs as a handyman for some of the residents. Lorenza couldn’t decipher that what he was doing at her doorstep, asking for his girlfriend.
He was very intoxicated and anyone could have figured out that his intentions weren’t noble. What were they?
Donald Grabbed Marrujo
Lorenza wanted to ask him what he was doing at her doorstep but before she could make a conversation, Donald grabbed her by the arms! At this point in time, Donald had already entered Marrujo’s apartment and was creating a scene.
Ideally, a 67-year-old petite woman who’s 4-foot-11 should have begged him for mercy but as we mentioned earlier, Marrujo was built differently.
Back Off!
She didn’t hesitate a bit when Donald approached her with ill intentions. Marrujo was taken aback for a moment when grabbed and pushed her. But she decided to retaliate and not give up.
As she later reiterated in an interview “I saw a neon-yellow Easton baseball bat lying around and reached for it. I shouted on top of my voice ‘Back off, or I will have to hurt you!’ I wasn’t scared a bit.”
Donald Left
Jail records state that Donald Prestwood is 5 feet 10 and 170 pounds. Such a huge man should have easily overpowered a petite, old woman. But that wasn’t the case.
Donald got scared of Marrujo when she started swinging the baseball bat. He decided to leave her apartment because he knew that Marrujo was absolute trouble. But Donald had already put another nasty plan in motion.
Went Away
Marrujo was a bit shocked at what had just happened but she was alert in her senses. She could make out that Donald hadn’t left the complex. As it turned out, Prestwood ran off and went to the first-floor apartment of Marrujo’s close friend Elizabeth McCray.
Marrujo figured it out and ran over to McCray’s apartment. It was dark in her apartment and Marrujo could hear McCray screaming. What was happening?
Called 911
Marrujo, before venturing into the unknown, realized that it would be wise to call 911 before dealing with what was happening there. After reporting the incident, she turned on the flashlight.
As soon as McCray’s apartment lit up with the flashlight, Marrujo could see Prestwood standing over McCray. McCray was 87-year-old herself and used a wheelchair. Marrujo couldn’t withstand the sorry state of her dear friend.
Wanted to Trip Him
“I was not scared for myself but for my friend whom I call mom Liz. I wanted to rescue her from the intruder. So I decided to swipe my legs against Prestwood. I wanted to trip him and save my friend because Prestwood was using his legs to hold McCray down.”
Marrujo later revealed this in an interview. When she realized that she wouldn’t be able to trip such a hefty man, she decided to opt for something more radical yet efficient!
The Bent Fingers
“I had to bend his fingers back … to get him off her. He was screaming because that’s one of my techniques, the bent fingers. Then I went ‘boom’ with my elbow twice in his sternum,” Marrujo demonstrated in an interview given to CBS Los Angeles.
Prestwood pleaded in front of her because the bent fingers move was hurting him a lot. But Marrujo had something more in store for him.
She Beat Him Up!
After Marrujo realized that she had finally got Prestwood in control, she decided to give him a complete knockout! Marrujo later recalled in an interview “My knee was on his chest, my other knee was on his throat, I had his jaw and I was aiming for his eye.”
Mercifully for the intruder, police arrived and handcuffed him. Everyone was wondering how Marrujo was able to pull it off.
McCray’s Condition
McCray was shocked at what had just happened. But she was more in awe of Marrujo who sort of saved her life.
McCray was soon treated for the injuries she sustained in this heinous crime. But she was soon discharged from the hospital as the injuries weren’t grave. She was all praises for Marrujo!
McCray Praises Her Friend
McCray got back into her good spirits as she reached her home. She couldn’t help but praise the bravery of her friend Marrujo. “Jesus was here and gave her power,” McCray said.
“I wouldn’t think a little lady would have the power to do this.” And this indeed stands true! Because if Marrujo hadn’t interfered, things would have gone south.
Police Officer Praises Marrujo
Not only Elizabeth McCray but even the police officers who arrived at the scene were all praises for Marrujo. A department spokesman and Fontana police Officer Jennie Venzor also praised Marrujo.
“I think she was very courageous and she jumped in to save her friend,” Venzor said. But what exactly happened to Prestwood after he was arrested?
Charges Against Prestwood
After the police arrested Prestwood, it was later revealed that he was arrested on suspicion of elder abuse and was being held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Prestwood later pleaded not guilty to the charge. Jail or not, Prestwood is going to remember what happened for his entire lifetime!
Police Warned Others
Jennie Venzor, the police officer, might have been all praises for what Marrujo did but she also gave a word of caution.
According to her, it is usually better to be a good witness instead of engaging an attacker because the suspect could be armed. Venzor also threw light on the possibility that Prestwood could have used the bat against Marrujo.
Muscle Memory
Marrujo later revealed to the officer when she had to explain the whole scenario in detail that her muscle memory kicked in. She also went on to explain that it was her reflexes that saved the day.
But how was she able to do it at such an age? Who was she? And what did she mean by muscle memory? Read on to find out the truth about Lorenza Marrujo.
Would Have Done More Damage
Even after almost beating the intrude to a pulp, Marrujo was a little disappointed in herself. “I am getting rusty in places. If I had been more prepared, I would have inflicted more damage to that stupid intruder.
So much damage that he would have to think twice before attacking an intruder.” She later said in an interview.
Marrujo’s Backstory
By this time, you must be wondering what sort of a superhuman this 67-year-old petite lady is. We will get there! Lorenza Marrujo was born in San Bernardino and attended Redlands High.
With the hope of becoming a crime scene investigator or lawyer, she studied criminal justice at Chaffey College.
Training in Jujitsu
Along the way, she started training in jujitsu from about 1981 to 2007. And that explains why she was able to hold off the intruder and save her friend.
She has a black belt in jujitsu that really came in handy that fateful day. She was right when she said that she could have inflicted more damage to the intruder!
Eye of The Tiger
After this incident, she became sort of an internet sensation. She gave many interviews and revealed some tasty details about her past.
She also revealed that she liked to train while listening to “Eye of the Tiger,” the Survivor song made popular in the movie Rocky III.
Lady Ninja
Marrujo also revealed that she needed to learn jujitsu to prepare herself in case she had a close encounter on a bad day. She also revealed that she liked to be called ‘Lady Ninja’.
Going by what she actually pulled off that day, we would say that she completely justified that moniker.
Was Homeless for Sometime
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Marrujo all her life. When the reporters dug in a little more, they found out that Marrujo was homeless off and on for 30 years of her life.
She often had to travel alone and use her training “plenty of times” to ward off people who wanted to hurt her.
Worked As a Security Guard Too
Her jujitsu training helped her in more than one way. Not only was she able to defend herself from people who wanted to hurt her, but she also managed to earn her livelihood for some time.
Marrujo worked as a security guard for some time.
Occasionally practises
When asked whether she still remembers her lessons or not, Marrujo had this to say “I still practise occasionally but that totally depends on how I am feeling physically.
There are some days when I cannot practise at all but I have made sure that I remember all my lessons by heart.” And we can attest to this fact now that we have seen her kicking the life out of the intruder!
Her Story Went Viral
Needless to say, as soon as the netizens got to know about this heroic feat pulled off by a 67-year-old lady, she went viral!
Her interview with CBS Los Angeles also has a considerable amount of views and shares.
Inspired Others
Her story inspired many others, especially people her age. Marrujo’s life story is surely an inspiration for people. Everyone was all praises for her courage, bravery and her razor-sharp reflexes!
A 4-foot-11 and 100 pounds woman who managed to stop an intruder from hurting her friend is surely a tale to look up to.
Public Reaction
Almost everyone was all praises for Lorenza Marrujo. A user on YouTube wrote “Never too old to save the day! She’s amazing.”
While another had sort of a witty take on the matter as he wrote “arresting officer: "anything hurt?" scumbag: "my pride!”.
Age Doesn’t Really Matter
This incident is yet another testimonial to the fact that age doesn’t really matter. Lorenza Marrujo is 67-year-old and yet, she managed to ward off the intruder.
She didn’t even hesitate a bit while standing up to the intruder. We believe that even if she didn’t have a black belt in jujitsu, she would have still stood up to the intruder.
Need For Self-defence Classes
Having a black belt in jujitsu certainly helped Marrujo and that is for sure. This also affirms the widely-accepted fact that one should learn at least one form of self-defence.
If you master even one form, you have no idea when it might come in handy. And going by what’s happening around us these days, it is safe to assume that it will come in handy on more than one occasion.