STOCKTON, CA - Stockton police said Saturday a woman found decomposing in her apartment Friday was murdered.
The Stockton Fire Department responded to a senior community on Virtue Arc Drive after getting reports of a smell coming from an apartment. Inside, crews found a black woman in her 50s dead; her death was deemed suspicious by police.
Police said the woman's death was declared a homicide after investigators found evidence at the scene pointing to foul play.
A cause of death will be determined after the coroner finishes the autopsy.
This is Stockton's 43rd homicide of the year; last year at this time, Stockton had 24 homicides.
Month-to-month breakdown of Stockton homicides in 2012
Stockton homicides over 15 years
News10/KXTV