Police say the woman may have been missing or dead for up to nine years. NBC 7’s Amber Frias breaks down what we know, and what we don’t.
Some visitors to San Diego made a grisly discovery during their year-end trip to stay at a family member's house in Allied Gardens: A body, stiff with cold, frozen in a chest freezer.
On Thursday, police released the woman's name and age but offered few other details.
Investigators are urging anyone with information about the victim to call the homicide unit at (619) 531-2293. Tips can also be placed anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
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WHAT POLICE HAVE SAID
Where and when was the body found?
The corpse, which was first reported to San Diego police on Dec. 22, 2023, was found inside a home in the 4900 block of Zion Avenue of Allied Gardens. The body was reported to police on Dec. 22 around 11:45 a.m.
Who was in the freezer?
Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones was identified Thursday as the woman in the freezer. Haxby-Jones, who would have been 81 years old if she were alive, was a former Kaiser Permanente employee. On Thursday, officials from the medical group sent NBC 7 the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones and want to express our sincerest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones. Mary Margaret will be remembered as a dedicated health care professional and will be greatly missed by all of us at Kaiser Permanente that had the privilege to work alongside her."
Who found Haxby-Jones?
Police say the out-of-town family members who discovered the body are related to someone who currently lives at the house on Zion Avenue. They're still investigating Haxby-Jones' relationship with the home’s current resident or residents.
NBC 7 contacted relatives of Haxby-Jones by phone but they declined to comment.
Body Found in Freezer in Allied Gardens
Who lives in the Allied Gardens home?
Neighbors told NBC 7 on Thursday that the only person they recall seeing at the home is an older man. They described the man as being in his early 70s, tall and slim, with white hair. Spotting lights on in the house, NBC 7 attempted to contact the resident or residents on Thursday but nobody replied to a knock at the door.
Neighbors who offered the description of the man told NBC 7 that they rarely, if ever, saw him leave the home, nor did they observe anyone else coming to the home. They added that they thought he was not particularly friendly. Also, one couple in the neighborhood said he gave off "bad vibes."
Who owns the home?
According to public records reviewed by NBC 7, the property is currently owned by Mary M. Jones, who has had her name on the deed since August 1986. Presumably, Mary M. Jones and Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones are one and the same person. Joseph and Amparo Lucenro gave the house to Jones and Robert Haxby in 1986. In 1992, the name on the deed was altered to include just Jones.
Was the freezer running when police first investigated?
Yes, police said on Thursday.
WHAT POLICE DON'T KNOW OR HAVEN'T SAID
Who discovered the body?
Police have not released the identities of the visiting family members who made the morbid discovery.
When did Haxby-Jones die?
At this point, no exact date is known, but detectives did say they believe Haxby-Jones may have been missing or dead for up to nine years. It has not been explained why they think that length of time is correct. No missing-persons report on Haxby-Jones was ever filed.
What is Haxby-Jones's connection to any house residents now?
Investigators have not explained the visiting relatives' familial relation to the resident or residents currently living in the home. At this time, all that is known about them is that they were visiting from "out of town," according to police.
SDPD Lt. Jud Campbell told NBC 7 on Thursday: "Her relationship to that house and its current residents is part of the ongoing investigation. I’m limited in how much I can disclose right now, as we are soliciting information from the public."
How did Haxby-Jones die?
Police said her cause of death has not yet been determined. There were no obvious traumatic injuries, according to investigators, but they did say they are investigating the case as a suspicious death.
"The cause of death is still pending, so, yes, it’s too soon to say if it was or wasn’t a homicide," Campbell also said on Thursday.
