Watch CBS News

Riverside Woman, 66, Found Murdered Inside Her Car; Roommate And Companion Accused In Slaying

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — Police conducting a welfare check Friday on a 66-year-old Riverside woman, discovered her body inside her car and have arrested the woman's roommate and a companion for her slaying.

Laverna Brown's family grew concerned when she failed to arrive in Georgia from a flight from Ontario.

An investigation determined the woman never got on the plane. Her car was found in a parking lot on Fremont between Mountain View, across from the Riverside Auto Auction and north of Riverside Airport.

Brown was found deceased inside the vehicle the apparent victim of a homicide, said police.

Detectives interviewed two persons of interest: Ruthetta Lois Hobson, 39, who was Brown's roommate and Julius Patrick Thomas, 30, of Jurupa Valley, described as a friend of Hobson's.

Both were booked on a murder charge Saturday.

Riverside detectives said they were aided in their investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff and Coroner, the District Attorney as well as Forensic Technicians from the Riverside Office of the California Department of Justice Crime Lab.

They did not reveal how Brown was killed or a possible motive for the murder.

Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to contact Detective Rick Wheeler at (951) 353-7134 or Detective Rick Cobb (951) 353-7135.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.