Encino Woman Fatally Beaten, Found in Apartment

The body of a 40-year-old woman who was apparently beaten to death during a burglary was found Saturday inside her ransacked apartment in a quiet, upscale neighborhood, police said.

The body of Kathleen Delis was discovered by her brother about 12:30 p.m. after he stopped by his sister’s apartment in the 5400 block of Yarmouth Avenue to check on her welfare.

The brother, who was not identified, told police he had not heard from the victim in several days, police said.

Delis was an acupuncturist and had lived alone in the apartment for about six months, said Los Angeles Police Detective Rick Swanston of the West Valley station.

“We don’t have much to go on,” he said, adding that there are no suspects in the case.

Swanston said it was not immediately known when the killing occurred.

The detective said the slaying took place in one of the lowest crime areas in the San Fernando Valley.

“This is very definitely unusual,” he said. “We don’t get murders in that area very often.”

Leonard Schwartz, a salesman who has lived in the building for five years, said he was surprised to arrive home Saturday and find police cars outside the complex.

“We’ve had no problems here whatsoever,” Schwartz said. “I’ll be a little nervous until I know all the details.”