A GARDEN GROVE man will face a murder charge at a pre-trial hearing on Friday.

A Garden Grove man accused of attacking an elderly woman who later died will be in court on Friday to face murder charges at a pre-trial hearing.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Michael Aon Varela is facing a possible sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole for murder and the special circumstances of the death after an attempted rape.

The incident occurred on Sept. 10, 2017 in Garden Grove. Varela is accused of attacking the 68-year-old woman at 5 a.m. outside a home while she was on a walk. He allegedly assaulted her and attempted to rape her. A witness summoned police and the suspect was arrested by GGPD officers at the scene.

The woman was taken to a local hospital where she died 11 days later of the injuries she suffered during the attack. The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in the West Justice Center in Westminster.