Woman Found to Have Been Strangled
A 37-year-old woman whose nude body was found in a Westlake Village condominium was strangled, Deputy Coroner Craig Stevens reported Friday after an autopsy.
Ventura County sheriff’s investigators found Ellen Cleary’s body Thursday afternoon in a bathtub in a small amount of water, Lt. Joe Harwell said. Officials do not know whether she was taking a bath or was placed there by the killer.
Timothy Velasco, 22, of Van Nuys told Los Angeles police that he killed his girlfriend and gave them details that led sheriff’s deputies to Cleary’s condominium in the 1100 block of Bright Glen Circle, authorities said.
Despite Velasco’s admission to the slaying, investigators have failed to find a motive.
“We feel confident we know who perpetrated the crime. But why? It’s not an easy question to answer,” Harwell said.
Velasco told authorities that he had known Cleary for three years and that she was his girlfriend, Harwell said.
Bail was set at $1 million.
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