Woman, 85, Raped, Beaten to Death in Bed

An autopsy on an 85-year-old woman, who died at a Van Nuys nursing home, revealed that she was raped and beaten to death in her bed, authorities said Thursday.

Libbie Noble, who had lived at the retirement home only 10 days, was found dead at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Valley View Retirement Center in the 7700 block of Woodman Avenue.

When the body was found, police saw blood on the pillow and noted a facial bruise on the woman. Because she was known to have dizzy spells and used a walker, detectives initially believed she might have fallen.

But because Noble’s nightgown was pulled up and a blanket had been pulled off the bed, police ordered the autopsy, which found evidence of sexual assault. Cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head. She had been struck hard enough to knock loose a tooth.