San Diego police say a woman found dead Tuesday in a car parked at a San Ysidro shopping plaza was reported missing in Santa Barbara County on Sunday.
A security guard making rounds at the plaza on the 4400 block of Camino de la Plaza, just north of the U.S.-Mexico Border, made the grim discovery shortly after midnight Tuesday, SDPD said. Lt. Steve Shebloski of the Homicide Unit described the death as suspicious.
San Diego News
The woman was found with blunt-force trauma to her upper body, indicating she was the victim of a homicide, SDPD confirmed Tuesday night in a press release. "It is still early in the investigation and little is known about the circumstances leading up to the female’s death," the release said.
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The victim was described only as a 32-year-old Hispanic female, according to SDPD. Her identity has been confirmed as Elizabeth Leyva Oregel by her family and police. She was reported missing on July 2, out of Guadalupe, CA, west of Santa Maria.
The family told Telemundo 20 that she was on her way to work before she was reported missing.
"I want justice," said Imelda Oregel, mother of the victim. "We are suffering and we want our daughter, but she is no longer here."
SDPD's Homicide Unit is working with the Guadalupe Police Department and Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
