Police are now investigating the death of a 62-year-old woman who drowned in a pond at a Mission Bay resort as a homicide.
The woman, identified Friday as Gale Yonai, was found at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa on Vacation Dr. at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Yonai and her husband were visiting from Los Angeles. Preliminary investigations revealed she was outside smoking near a creek on resort grounds while her husband allegedly took a nap.
When her husband woke up and couldn't find her, he asked security for assistance. They located her face down in the "man-made pool" near her room, according to the medical examiner.
CPR was administered on the scene, but efforts were unsuccessful. Yonai was pronounced dead on the scene.
Initially, police said Yonia was found with a laceration on her head, but they did not believe her death was a homicide. She may have slipped and fell on a rock, police said.
Late Friday night, however, police had a change of heart.
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Police announced they are now investigating Yonai's death as "suspicious" after the medical examiner discovered "unexplained injuries" to Yonai during an autopsy.
The Homicide Unit is investigating. Detectives and forencis specialists are processing the scene for evidence and attempting to locate witnesses.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
Coincidentally, in April, a boy nearly drowned at the Paradise Point Resort before an 11-year-old girl from Sacramento pulled him out of the water and saved him. The boy was face-down at the bottom of the pool when the girl saw him and jumped in.
Also, in 2009, a man drowned to death in a hot tub at the resort while celebrating his 21st birthday. The Medical Examiner found alcohol and cocaine in his system. He was also found with scratches on his face, and his family believes he fell before drowning.
Check back for updates on these latest developments.
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