Victim’s customers, coworkers saddened

Marisa O’Neil

Lilia Cheron had a bright, infectious smile and a personality to

match.

When the Ukrainian native applied for a job three years ago at the

Corona del Mar Bank of America, branch manager Marjorie Wood knew she

wanted Cheron as an employee. Though Cheron spoke only broken English

at the time, Woods said she saw a wonderful personality in her, one

that affected her customers and coworkers, Wood said.

“That smile was always on her face,” Wood said.

Cheron, 37, was fatally shot three times in her Costa Mesa home

Tuesday morning. On Friday, the Orange County District Attorney’s

Office filed murder charges against her 84-year-old father-in-law,

Theodore Cheron.

Before she died Tuesday morning, Lilia Cheron called 911 and told

dispatchers that her father-in-law had shot her, Costa Mesa Police

said.

Police found her dead in an upstairs bedroom and her father-in-law

downstairs with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was

still conscious and clutching the handgun. He surrendered to police.

Theodore Cheron is in guarded condition and in Sheriff’s custody

at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Marty

Carver said.

Neither Lilia Cheron’s husband, 52-year-old George Cheron, nor her

12-year-old daughter were home at the time of the shooting.

Lilia Cheron, who emigrated to California and moved into her

father-in-law’s home about five years ago, had clashed with him in

the past, Costa Mesa Police Lt. Ron Smith said. Though he had moved

into his Eastside home from Russia more than 50 years ago, he held

much more traditional, conservative values than did his progressive

daughter-in-law, Smith said.

Lilia Cheron worked at the bank three days a week and took classes

to improve her English, Wood said. She was enrolled in a class at

Orange Coast College this semester and had made the school’s honors

list in 2001, OCC spokesman Jim Carnett said.

On Friday morning, her customers and coworkers at the bank were

still reeling from the news of her death. Customer Don Delaney had

heard news of the murder but didn’t realize it was his friendly

teller until he saw a picture of Cheron flashing her trademark grin.

The photograph sat on a hand-lettered poster board next to the

teller station where Cheron worked until this week.

“In loving memory of Lilia,” the sign read. “1966-2004.”

“She was definitely the personality queen,” Delaney said. “She was

so pleasant.”

Kristin Rosten paused in the bank lobby to sign a remembrance book

Lilia Cheron’s coworkers placed on a table.

“She was so very bright and cheery,” Rosten said. “She had such a

big smile and was so sweet. I can’t believe something like this would

happen to her.”

Everyone at the bank took the news of her death hard, Wood said.

When Wood showed up to work on Friday, one customer, a “big,

strapping guy,” was in his car, sobbing for Lilia Cheron.

She was so loved, the customers would sometimes wait in line

longer, just so they could talk with her, teller Ryan Delarosa said.

“She was full of life,” Delarosa said. “She always came in with a

smile. I’d come in tired, and she’d always cheer me up and tell me

stories about her daughter.”

She doted on her 12-year-old daughter, from a previous marriage,

Wood said. She would show off pictures of her in her ballet clothes

and talk about her swimming skills.

“[Her daughter] was all she’d talk about,” Wood said.

Lilia Cheron’s parents are still living in Eastern Europe and her

sister is planning to travel here for her memorial, Wood said. Lilia

Cheron had asked Wood for time off during the Christmas holidays to

take her husband and daughter to visit her family.

Employees at the bank won’t soon forget the smiling face and kind

heart of the woman they called “Lili,” co-worker Holly Heins said.

“Of all the people for this to happen to -- Lili,” Wood sighed

with disbelief. “How beautiful she was, and she didn’t even realize

it. I was just thinking last night; even her name is beautiful.”

A memorial for family and friends will be held at noon on

Wednesday at Brown Colonial Mortuary at 204 W. 17th St. in Santa Ana.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.