SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A woman found dead in a Mission Valley office Saturday under suspicious circumstances was identified as a 66-year-old Chula Vista resident.
According to San Diego police, officers responded to a 911 call regarding a dead woman found in an office in the 3400 block of Camino Del Rio South.
Officers found Maria Kelly with a single gunshot wound to her body, and her death was ruled a homicide, police confirmed.
Police said Kelly's 34-year-old daughter, Crystal Vasquez of Chula Vista, learned of her mother's death from family members a short time later.
Vasquez went to the office building where her mother was found dead, but went to use the restroom at a nearby business, police reported.
Police said: "When she failed to return, another family member found her inside the restroom with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to her body" and was "pronounced deceased t the scene."
Investigators told 10News they don't believe the daughter is linked to her mother's death. The daughter's suicide may be a case of stress over finding out her mother was dead, said police.
Maria Kelly's niece, Veronica Zendejas, said her aunt was the center of the family. She and her youngest daughter Crystal worked together at the accounting business where Maria was found dead. According to Zendejas, Kelly's body was found in the closet.
“When I think of seeing (Maria) in there in that closet, I’m just like...wow, man," Zendejas said. “When I think that somebody can do this to my aunt it hurts me that someone could be so cruel.”
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for the funeral expenses of the two women.
Police are asking anyone with information on this case to contact the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
