La Mesa police searching for suspect after unhoused woman found dead

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Police in La Mesa are investigating after an unhoused woman was found dead with head trauma inside an encampment Thursday night, and Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest of the suspect.

City of La Mesa Police responded at 10:33 p.m. Thursday to calls of an unconscious woman with a head injury at a homeless encampment in the 800 block of High Street in La Mesa.

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First responders at the scene tried to resuscitate the woman, but she was pronounced dead inside the encampment she was believed to be at by herself, police say.

The police department reports the unidentified victim is described as a 62-year-old woman who was known to be homeless in the La Mesa area.

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At this point in the investigation, police believe the attack happened within hours of the victim being found Thursday night, and say that although there were no calls to police for an assault in that area that night, witnesses did recall seeing an adult man with a beard leave the area a few hours before they arrived. He is now considered to be a person of interest.

The San Diego Medical Examiner's Office will be performing an autopsy and will determine the victim's cause of death. Police say the victim will be identified once her family has been notified.

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Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in this case.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the La Mesa Police Department at 619-667-1400. You can also call Crime Stoppers' anonymous toll-free tip line at 888-580-TIPS or submit a tip through sdcrimestoppers.com .