Autopsy Shows Woman Was Strangled

A 40-year-old woman who was found dead in a vacant apartment over the weekend was strangled to death, detectives said Tuesday.

An autopsy concluded that Terri Lee Beare of La Habra was strangled by “a hard object,” Lt. Terry Rammell said. “We’re talking about a board, or an arm, that type of thing.”

Beare was found fully clothed Sunday evening by an apartment manager in an empty unit at the small complex, at 321 W. Lambert Road, Rammell said. It was not immediately known if she had been sexually assaulted.

Detectives are still trying to find out why Beare, who was apparently unemployed at the time of her death, was at the apartment on that night, Rammell said. “At this point, we have no evidence to tie her to that location,” he added.

Police have no suspects, he said.