Woman, 85, Raped, Beaten, Autopsy Shows

Los Angeles police have begun a search for the killer of an 85-year-old Van Nuys woman after an autopsy revealed that she was raped and beaten to death in her bed at a local retirement home, authorities said this morning.

Libbie Noble was found dead at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Valley View Retirement Center in the 7700 block of Woodman Avenue, authorities said.

Detective Jim Vojtecky said there was evidence of trauma on the body, but because Noble had had trouble walking and used a walker, it was originally believed that the injuries could have come from a fall. Noble was fully dressed in nightclothes when her body was found.

An autopsy conducted Wednesday found evidence of sexual assault, however, and the cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma, Vojtecky said. The case was classified as a homicide.

“A suspect or suspects actually came in and beat and raped this elderly woman who was sleeping,” Vojtecky said.

There are no identified suspects in the case. Vojtecky said there was no sign of forced entry in the second-floor apartment that Noble shared with another elderly woman. The roommate, who is deaf, apparently slept through the attack and has been unable to aid police, Vojtecky said.

Vojtecky said the slaying apparently occurred between 9 p.m. Saturday, when Noble went to bed, and 7 a.m. Sunday, when an attendant attempted to wake her.

Noble had been living in the retirement home only a week before she was slain, Vojtecky said. The complex, which has 60 units and about 100 residents, has a 24-hour staff.

A man who said he was the administrator at the retirement center declined comment other than to say the facility is safe.

Vojtecky said investigators plan to review other recent deaths of woman who were residents of Valley View and other area retirement homes.