La Quinta woman arrested after 85-year-old relative’s murder
LA QUINTA, Calif., — Authorities say an unattended death investigation in La Quinta led to the arrest of a woman who now stands accused of the murder of one of her elderly relatives.
The alleged suspect, 59-year-old Sally Martha Webster, was arrested on March 18, the day after reporting the passing of 85-year-old Rosemary Webster. Although officials have said that both women were La Quinta residents, it was not immediately clear if the two women resided together at the same home.
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At around 4 p.m. on March 17, deputies from the Thermal Sheriff’s Station responded to a private residence in the 51200 block of Avenida Ramirez after receiving the report of an unattended death, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Ed Baeza later reported.
When deputies arrived at the home, they found the 85-year-old victim deceased.
Sally Webster was arrested for the murder of one of her relatives, 85-year-old Rosemary Webster, after initially reporting that she had passed away at her La Quinta residence. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department photo
Deputies noticed “unexplained injuries to the victim which were inconsistent with statements made” by Sally, at which time they secured the home as a crime scene, Baeza explained, saying the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to assume the investigation.
Based on evidence and interviews conducted by investigators, Sally was arrested for homicide early the next morning.
After her arrest, Sally was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of murder.
Online jail records indicate she remains in custody, where she is being held without bail.
Officials did not specify how the victim was killed, what may have led to the victim’s murder, or exactly how the victim and suspect were related.
The Sheriff’s investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information regarding this investigation is encouraged to call Investigator Jones of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Iniguez of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station (760) 863-8990. Callers can refer to incident file number LA220760048 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.