72-year-old woman stabbed in Berkeley carjacking dies

BERKELEY, Calif. -- A 72-year-old woman who was stabbed in Berkeley during an attempted carjacking three weeks ago died Wednesday morning, police said.

Nancy Jo McClellan of Emeryville had been treated at a medical facility for injuries she suffered when she was stabbed allegedly by 18-year-old Kamau Berlin in the vicinity of Russell and Otis streets at about 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 19.

Police said arriving officers saw a man fleeing the area who matched the suspect description given by callers and were able to detain him in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way after a foot pursuit. The suspect later was identified as Berlin, a Richmond resident.

Police said it appears that Berlin allegedly stabbed the woman several times during the attempted carjacking.

After the incident, Berlin was charged with attempted murder and attempted carjacking.

Berkeley police said they will now seek to have the attempted murder charge against Berlin upgraded to murder.

Berlin, who is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, is scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland on Oct. 24 to enter a plea.