Santa Rosa woman found fatally stabbed on trail, police say

A 61-year-old Santa Rosa woman died from a stabbing Sunday night and her killer was still at large, officials said Monday.

The woman’s body was discovered about 11 p.m. on the Prince Memorial Greenway, between Santa Rosa Avenue and A Street, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.

The greenway, directly south of downtown, is a half-mile walking path surrounded by trees and stretching east and west along Santa Rosa Creek. Its eastern border is at Santa Rosa Avenue and its western border is at Olive Street, west of Highway 101.

The woman was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Her name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Sgt. Brandon Matthies said police were familiar with the woman and described her as homeless.

An early investigation showed she spent time around downtown and came to the greenway earlier Sunday. She may have been killed several hours before police were notified about her, Matthies said.

No suspects or motive to her killing have been identified and police say they want witnesses to come forward.

Tips can be submitted online at srcity.org/CrimeTips or by phone at 707-543-3595.

Anyone who provides information leading to an arrest may receive a reward of up to $5,000 from the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund.

The killing is at least the second homicide to take place in Santa Rosa this year.

A 20-year-old man was fatally shot May 13 during a confrontation on Slater Street.

A suspect, Diego Kona Kekahuna, was arrested in Sacramento in connection with that slaying and he’s scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing in December, according to Sonoma County Superior Court records.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi