Identified! CA - Out-of-town family finds unidentified body in freezer of home they were staying at - Dec 23, 2023 - Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones

[PaulaDC]

Spoiler: View of the street and the houses

I can capture all the houses from a certain angle. View attachment 470385View attachment 470383

The house with the unique wall ^^^ is in pics on many news sites, but... It's the blue house next door to the house with the unique wall that has a blur placed on it on google maps. I never saw that, only that house blurs out. Is that common if it's a suspected crime scene? Anybody know? Never saw that before. ​

Any home owner can blur their house out on Google maps. It's an option.

 

[Curious Me]

It is so strange! I see that house nearly every single day because my kids elementary school is literally across the street from it. The last time a true crime mainstream media worthy event happened in our neighborhood was back in 2016 when Krystal Mitchell was murdered in an apartment complex here. So glad that McLeod was finally captured recently for that one.

Edit- sorry I don’t know why it quoted you too Curious Me!

Checked a couple news stations, but no mention of the body found in the freezer. The ME site has a press release about a deceased from 12/16/23, so maybe it could take a couple of weeks.

Department of the Medical Examiner

https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/me/officeoverview.html

I'm glad you included me in your post, @truecrimeallthetime. I'm a local too. You, however, saw that house often, as your kids go to that nearby school. Did you ever notice the weeds growing and maybe poor maintenance of the house at any one point? Hope we hear some details about this mystery eventually.​

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Mystery as 'out-of-town' family discover woman's body in freezer

An investigation is underway after family members visiting San Diego for the holidays found a relative's badly decomposed body.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Mystery as 'out-of-town' family discover dead woman's body in relative's freezer - as police admit they don't know cause of death and neighbors share their horror​

• An investigation is underway after family members visiting San Diego for the holidays found a relative's badly decomposed body

The person's identity has not been made public, nor has the cause of death, but officials have said that the corpse is female.

 

[whiterhino]

Mystery as 'out-of-town' family discover woman's body in freezer

An investigation is underway after family members visiting San Diego for the holidays found a relative's badly decomposed body.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Mystery as 'out-of-town' family discover dead woman's body in relative's freezer - as police admit they don't know cause of death and neighbors share their horror​

• An investigation is underway after family members visiting San Diego for the holidays found a relative's badly decomposed body

The person's identity has not been made public, nor has the cause of death, but officials have said that the corpse is female.

Have they tracked down the homeowner?!

It says "a relatives badly decomposed body"

 

[Sjöberg]

Most importantly….who goes visiting and promptly pokes around in the host’s freezer? That’s just rude. Where are their holiday manners? Any clues there?

My first instinct was that this was out-of-town family visiting their (older and/or poorer) relatives, probably in their childhood home, and they brought along quite some food as there was more than just one of them. It is quite likely that it was not possible to fit all of the holiday food and drinks into the main fridge, so something was taken "to the freezer in the garage" or similar. We always bring food over and place it in the freezers etc ourselves when visiting our childhood home - the older relative there would take a lot more time to place all the items away & we all feel at home there.

Or course, the situation might have been entirely different. But IMO this scenario could match known facts: the deceased was a relative and she was found in a freezer. Now the mystery is: who was she and why was her absence not noted before.

 

[whiterhino]

My first instinct was that this was out-of-town family visiting their (older and/or poorer) relatives, probably in their childhood home, and they brought along quite some food as there was more than just one of them. It is quite likely that it was not possible to fit all of the holiday food and drinks into the main fridge, so something was taken "to the freezer in the garage" or similar. We always bring food over and place it in the freezers etc ourselves when visiting our childhood home - the older relative there would take a lot more time to place all the items away & we all feel at home there.

Or course, the situation might have been entirely different. But IMO this scenario could match known facts: the deceased was a relative and she was found in a freezer. Now the mystery is: who was she and why was her absence not noted before.

RBBM:

I'm wondering if it is the homeowner in the freezer? Like an elderly person living alone who somehow fell in? Sometimes older people are left to their own, family don't always consider that they need to check in more often.

If this is the case (an accident) there should be some other clues. Mailbox full, unanswered calls, spoiled food etc. JMO.

 

[CuriousCricket]

RBBM:

I'm wondering if it is the homeowner in the freezer? Like an elderly person living alone who somehow fell in? Sometimes older people are left to their own, family don't always consider that they need to check in more often.

If this is the case (an accident) there should be some other clues. Mailbox full, unanswered calls, spoiled food etc. JMO.

The mailbox is a really good thought. While it is possible this was accidental, I have stayed away from it because the body was badly decomposed.

However, since we have no idea of time frame, the homeowner could have fallen in, died and been frozen -- as I would have expected to find the body if utilities were still on in the house. With auto pay, the utilities would have remained on, but the mail would have become noticeable.

Without auto pay, time passed and without anyone home to pay the bills, eventually power was shut off, the body thawed and decomposed.

I can see a scenario where the body landed in the freezer accidently and there was no one around to notice.

 

[dbcooper63]

Need more details on this many more

 

[Palisades]

Another, remote, possibility would be a weird suicide.

The theory of an older female falling into the chest freezer makes more sense when thinking about it being close to the holidays and expecting adult children to come over a visit - buying extra food and storing it in the deep freeze. Maybe the freezer did not even close, hence the decomp and person being found quickly.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

A case in France.

https://www.thelocal.fr/20141202/france-woman-locks-herself-in-freezer-to-commit-suicide

A search of the flat also revealed she had left five letters to various members of her family. In the correspondence she explained that she was "suffering from several diseases and from severe loneliness"

I found a few others that were also judged to be suicides. So it's not an impossible theory.

My first thought though was that this case, ie the thread, was foul play. But then I also thought it could have been a terrible accident.

 

[Niner]

A case in France.

https://www.thelocal.fr/20141202/france-woman-locks-herself-in-freezer-to-commit-suicide

A search of the flat also revealed she had left five letters to various members of her family. In the correspondence she explained that she was "suffering from several diseases and from severe loneliness"

I found a few others that were also judged to be suicides. So it's not an impossible theory.

My first thought though was that this was foul play. But then I also thought it could have been a terrible accident.

Foul play was my first thought....

 

[rosesfromangels]

Foul play was my first thought....

Absolutely agree. All of the scenarios mentioned on the thread are possible, but foul play is most "probable". Hopefully additional information will be forthcoming soon. I'm sure the neighbors are feeling very unsettled.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[neesaki]

Just when I had convinced myself that when a body jumps out at me (figuratively) from a surprise location more than once a day, this is mere sleight of hand from too much imagination and WS…..voilà you go visiting, kids, panettone, hooch ‘n’ all, and for real there’s a body rigor-mortised into the freezer.

Most importantly….who goes visiting and promptly pokes around in the host’s freezer? That’s just rude. Where are their holiday manners? Any clues there?

Maybe they were looking for the Vodka?

 

[neesaki]

I'm curious if the out-of-towners were at the property by themselves, or if the homeowner was on-site.

And if they were there, would you first confront your relative, or would you just secretly call the police?

I think I might very quietly sneak out the back door !

 

[10ofRods]

I feel as if the out of towners arrived and found no one to greet them, although they were expecting the homeowners to be there (their relatives). I believe the guests were in the first order of relatives (close kin), possibly children or grandchildren. It was a holiday visit, and no one was home. Perhaps they thought the inhabitants had just gone out. Perhaps they had brought food for the elderly inhabitants (I believe the inhabitants were elderly, as many here have assumed). It makes sense that family would go to visit its elderly members at the holidays, and that an elderly person could die without anyone noticing.

IMO. Speculation.

 

[Vern]

Possibly parents coming into town over the holidays to visit and spend time with an adult child? It's not like I've never taken opportunity to "stock up" some things into my kids' freezers for them when I've been in town for a good visit.

Although I'd never expect to open the freezer to stock it only to find a body. I'd suffer instantaneous heart failure I'm certain.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I think I might very quietly sneak out the back door !

That is exactly what I would do. Sneak out and call the authorities.

No way I would confront anyone in the house after I discovered a body in the freezer.
If I had a chance I'd not mention finding the body to any residents there.

That's if I hadn't already alerted them to the fact I knew. Ie I've bought all this extra food because we don't want to be a burden. I'll just put it in your freezer. I think that could be a good reason to open the freezer.

 

[ch_13]

I feel as if the out of towners arrived and found no one to greet them, although they were expecting the homeowners to be there (their relatives). I believe the guests were in the first order of relatives (close kin), possibly children or grandchildren. It was a holiday visit, and no one was home. Perhaps they thought the inhabitants had just gone out. Perhaps they had brought food for the elderly inhabitants (I believe the inhabitants were elderly, as many here have assumed). It makes sense that family would go to visit its elderly members at the holidays, and that an elderly person could die without anyone noticing.

IMO. Speculation.

Except it seems the body was in poor condition indicating that it had been there for some time.

So, I wonder...Wouldn't there be pre-arrival communication? I can't think of a single time I visited someone without advance notice. Usually there's at least some back-and-forth prior to arrival. "We expect to be there around 5", "This is our flight number", "Is there anything you want from our area?" That sort of thing.

And if I did try to communicate with them and they were incommunicado, I don't think I'd wait until I'd arrived. I'd call an emergency contact, or failing that I'd request the police do a wellness check.

Edit - I suppose it's possible that this was meant as a surprise visit.

 

[neesaki]

Except it seems the body was in poor condition indicating that it had been there for some time.

So, I wonder...Wouldn't there be pre-arrival communication? I can't think of a single time I visited someone without advance notice. Usually there's at least some back-and-forth prior to arrival. "We expect to be there around 5", "This is our flight number", "Is there anything you want from our area?" That sort of thing.

And if I did try to communicate with them and they were incommunicado, I don't think I'd wait until I'd arrived. I'd call an emergency contact, or failing that I'd request the police do a wellness check.

Edit - I suppose it's possible that this was meant as a surprise visit.

I’m really curious about the nature of the visit.

 

[10ofRods]

RBBM:

I'm wondering if it is the homeowner in the freezer? Like an elderly person living alone who somehow fell in? Sometimes older people are left to their own, family don't always consider that they need to check in more often.

If this is the case (an accident) there should be some other clues. Mailbox full, unanswered calls, spoiled food etc. JMO.

Do you have any news articles indicating an elder-death where someone "fell in" a freezer? Not aimed just at you - others keep saying this.

I live in California and try to follow crime news here. But really? Are there cases of someone falling into a chest freezer (the height of which must be slightly more than 33" tall - and that's been in place for a very long time - I want to say, since the 50's when child deaths per freezer - although rare - brought California to strict rules).

It is likely to be one of the homeowners/dwellers in the freezer, because it would be odd if some stranger came in and put themselves in a freezer (almost impossible to close/lock from the inside - as, well, California doesn't allow locks on chest freezers, plus, any adult except a very very short one can use their legs to open the freezer). Air is all that is immediately needed for life.

But this person died (and decomposed) inside a freezer. It's possible that the faint odor of decomp led their children/grandchildren/family members to open the lid. It's also possible the visiting family found the body without any suspicion.

Usually, when bodies are placed in freezers, it's with the goal of slowing decomp, so as to throw off LE as to time of death.

So, this "she fell into a freezer" thing is strange to me and I'd like to see someone sleuth that. When has that happened??

IMO. Speculation. Questioning.