Fred Ortega spent some time in Altadena yesterday hoping to put together some of the puzzle surrounding the death of 90-year-old woman: Associated Press filed this. Here’s a piece of Fred’s story:

ALTADENA – Firefighters doused a blaze at an Altadena home Thursday – and uncovered a murder mystery.

Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are now investigating after firefighters discovered the body of a 90-year-old woman inside the burned Lincoln Avenue home early Thursday.

Detectives said they found blood and other signs of a struggle inside the home in the 3200 block of North Lincoln.

“Right now we have no details about whether she was killed by fire or smoke,” said Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Ron Haralson.

However, he said the woman’s body showed signs of trauma.

And later in the day Thursday, detectives confirmed the woman’s death was a homicide.