Homeless man charged with murder in attack in Walmart

New York City -- A homeless man was charged with murder Thursday for a baseball bat attack on a 74-year-old Lakewood man in a Southern California Walmart, the Associated Press said.



Richard Lawrence Kalfin was charged with murder with a special allegation that he used a deadly weapon. He faces 57 years to life in prison if convicted and remained jailed on more than $1 million bail.



Investigators say Kalfin grabbed an aluminum bat in the Walmart store in Lakewood and bludgeoned David Oakleaf during an apparently random attack Tuesday.



The store's security video shows that the attacker was in the store and had been wandering the aisles before Oakleaf entered, police said.



At some point, Kalfin took the bat from a sporting goods display and was walking along the aisles when he saw Oakleaf and attacked without warning, authorities said.



Oakleaf was repeatedly struck in the head and died at the store. It is not known at this time if Oakleaf and his attacker had ever met.



Kalfin, who has a 2005 conviction for arson, was arrested outside the store.