Rita Wiley, 70

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Rita Wiley, 70, a black woman, was found dead about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, in the 1000 block of East 15th Street in Long Beach. She was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department said the woman’s roommate found Wiley in the backyard when she returned home.

Detectives said Wiley died of multiple injuries and stab wounds. Pratt said police were not releasing details about her injuries. She said the L.A. County coroner’s office will report the cause of death.

Later Thursday, Long Beach police arrested Andrew Felton Odom, a 40-year-old black man, on suspicion of murder. Authorities said Wiley and Odom had a longstanding platonic relationship. The L.A. County District Attorney’s office said Odom was charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance of murder committed during a robbery.

—Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times