The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim in a suspected homicide Tuesday night in west Hazel Dell.
Patricia Jimerfield, 78, was found dead inside her home, according to a statement from the agency.
Official identification will come later from the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office, along with an official cause of death.
According to the statement, deputies and Clark County Fire District 6 responded to a medical call at 9:41 p.m. Tuesday at a home on the corner of Northwest 26th Avenue and 99th Street. They found Jimerfield dead inside.
Detectives with the sheriff’s office Major Crimes Unit were at the residence overnight and into Wednesday morning.
Although there were no signs of forced entry or burglary at the home, investigators believe the death was a homicide.
The sheriff’s office on Thursday said Jimerfield had been notified by her bank Tuesday morning that there were pending fraudulent charges on her account. Jimerfield discovered her wallet was missing and filed a fraud report with the sheriff’s office. Investigators are looking into the fraudulent charges.
Portland TV news stations including KOIN-6 and KPTV reported that Jimerfield’s daughter, Stephanie Ayersman, said her mother, a retired nurse, was found assaulted and strangled.
Ayersman said she spoke daily to her mom, who had told her the house was broken into twice recently.
It’s not known if the theft or break-ins are connected to Jimerfield’s death.
Ayersman told reporters she flew from Phoenix to Portland on Tuesday evening and texted her mom for a pickup. She got no response and called an aunt. The aunt went to Jimerfield’s home and discovered the body.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
