Michael Littman Charged With Murder In Neighbor Doris Penico's Death

The Alamo man arrested last week in connection to the death of his neighbor, Doris Penico, has been charged with murder, according to court records.

Michael Littman, 59, was also charged wtih assault by force likely to cause great bodily injury to the 59-year-old Penico and for inflicting great bodily injury to Penico's husband, Victor Penico.

Littman was arraigned on Friday in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez on the murder and assault charges. He did not enter a plea.

Littman's bail is set at $1.08 million and his next court date is set for Sept. 13.

Littman's attorney, Daniel Cook, did not immediately return a call for comment.

According to police, Littman got into a fight with Victor in a driveway on 3000 block of Stonegate Drive in Alamo on Monday, Aug. 27, around 11 a.m. During the fight in the gated community, Doris was struck to the ground and hit her head on the cement driveway. She later died at John Muir Medical Center.

Littman was arrested at his Alamo home on Thursay.

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Police said last week that the Penicos and Littman were in an ongoing dispute over property.

District Attorney Molly Manoukian said she had no comment on the case since it is still under investigation.

A friend of Doris Penico for eight years, who asked not to be named in fear of retaliation, told Patch last week that Doris would regulary complain about being harrassed by Littman, who Penico would call "Crazy Mike."

"Every month when we met, we would ask, 'OK, what did Crazy Mike do this week?'" Penico's friend said. "There was always something new."

According to the small business website Mantra, Littman is the president of Key Properties Financial Inc. The company has two employees and is based in Alamo, according to Mantra.

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