Woman Found Shot Dead Inside Her Mission Valley Office: PD

The homicide victim has been identified as Maria Kelly of Chula Vista.

Homicide detectives are looking for suspects in the death of a woman whose body was discovered Saturday inside a Mission Valley office building. 

Chula Vista resident Maria Kelly was found July 22 in her accounting office building on Camino Del Rio South, San Diego police said. 

Officers found Kelly, 66, with a single gunshot wound to her body, police said. Her death was ruled a homicide. 

The victim had been reported missing three days prior to her death, police said. 

When the victim’s daughter heard about her mother's death, she drove to her mother's office. 

Shortly after arriving, the daughter used the bathroom in a nearby building.

When the woman didn't return, another family member found her inside the bathroom with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Crystal Vasquez, 34, of Chula Vista was pronounced dead at the scene.  

C.J. Stewart, Kelly's grandson, said the tragedy has left his family shaken.

“I feel like it's just a dream,” he told NBC 7. “I feel like I'm going to wake up and it is not true.”

Stewart said the victim supposedly went to a casino, but never came back. Stewart’s grandfather looked for her at her accounting office Friday morning, but her door was locked and no one was around.

Saturday, they brought a spare key to check on the victim's office.

“They found her,” he said.

He remembered his grandmother as a caring, loving woman. 

“She’s like the big heart of the family,” Steward said. “Wish I could just hug her and tell her I love her one more time.”

Police said they do not have leads on any possible suspects. Vasquez is not suspected in the death of her mother, SDPD homicide detectives said. 

Anyone with information regarding this incident can call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

There is help for anyone contemplating suicide. The San Diego hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can get help by calling 888-724-7240.

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