A woman who was a wanted suspect in the Siskiyou County death of her 68-year-old roommate was found and arrested in Sacramento a few weeks after the homicide victim’s body was found.
Elzie Jane Hernandez, 39, was arrested on June 29 in Sacramento on suspicion of homicide in the death of Frankie Marie Keller of Seiad Valley, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday in a news release.
Hernandez on July 6 pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in Keller’s death, Siskiyou Superior Court records show. Her preliminary hearing, which has been postponed twice, is now scheduled for Aug. 14 to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for Hernandez to stand trial.
On Monday, Hernandez remained in custody at the Siskiyou County Jail. She has been there without bail since July 3, jail records show.
On the morning of June 8th, a passerby notified authorities after spotting Keller’s body female near Hawkinsville View Road just north of Yreka and about 260 miles north of Sacramento.
Siskiyou County sheriff’s deputies arrived and found Keller dead. Sheriff’s officials said an autopsy determined that Keller had died as the result of blunt force trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Detectives later identified Keller’s roommate, Hernandez, as a suspect in the homicide case and obtained an arrest warrant for her on June 29.
That same day, Siskiyou sheriff’s detectives spotted Hernandez driving through Butte County. Sheriff’s officials said Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies later that day detained Hernandez in Sacramento.
Hernandez was later taken to Siskiyou County to face the murder charge in Keller’s death.
Siskiyou sheriff’s officials have been unable to find anyone from Keller’s family, and they asked for the public’s help.
Investigators asked anyone with information regarding this homicide case to call the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office at 530-841-2900.
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Rosalio Ahumada writes breaking news stories related to crime and public safety for The Sacramento Bee. He speaks Spanish fluently and has worked as a news reporter in the Central Valley since 2004.