New details out in La Pine woman’s body in home for 5 months
A woman whose body was found in her La Pine home late last week had died of natural causes five months ago and remained there ever since, in the home where her younger sister had cared for her — and was still living – surrounded by garbage, dead and living cats and foul odors, Deschutes County sheriff’s detectives said Tuesday.
An autopsy was performed Monday at the State Medical Examiner’s Office on the remains of the dead woman, whose identity has not yet been positively confirmed due to the time period since her death, said sheriff’s Lt. Chad Davis.
A neighbor had called sheriff’s dispatch at 10:47 a.m. Friday to report that a woman now identified as the younger sister, Elizabeth Freise, 59, had fallen on her front porch at 52533 Cebter and needed medical attention, Davis said.
La Pine Fire Department medics responded and rendered aid to Freise. During that visit, Davis said, “medics became concerned about her living conditions, due to foul odors and the collection of garbage in the home.”
Fire medics contacted the sheriff’s office for a welfare check and deputies responded, finding “the residence was filled with garbage, cats and foul odors,” Davis said in a news release.
A deputy interviewed Friese at St. Charles Bend and Davis said she “admitted her sister had died sometime in mid-November and her remains were still inside the residence.”
“Elizabeth was her sister’s caregiver, and she suffered from a long-term illness that left her mostly bedridden,” the lieutenant said.
Detectives obtained Friese’s consent to enter the home and found the sister’s remains, along with “numerous deceased cats, live cats and garbage covering the floors,” Davis said.
The detectives got a search warrant for the home, to process evidence and remove several living cats that were taken to the Humane Society of Central Oregon.
Davis said the investigation is continuing, and a report will be sent to the DA’s office for review to consider if any charges should be filed against Elizabeth Freise.
