Clovis Police Detectives continue to investigate the suspicious death of an adult female found on a sidewalk near Temperance/Sierra last Saturday. Just after 7:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 4, our communications center received a call from the area of McKelvy/Vartikian, which is in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood. Officers arrived on scene within minutes and found the injured female lying on the sidewalk next to a dog that was on a leash. While the dog was uninjured, the female was pronounced dead at the scene, and Detectives and Crime Scene personnel were called out to investigate the circumstances.

The deceased female has been identified by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office as 67-year-old Barbara Rote of Clovis. Our investigation so far has shown that Barbara was walking her dog in a neighborhood near hers on Saturday morning. Detectives have reviewed surveillance cameras from several homes in the area and spoken to neighbors. According to the investigation so far, Barbara died from blunt force trauma, but it’s unknown what exactly caused her injuries. Video surveillance from nearby homes show a red 4-door Toyota Corolla on the street and at the time that Barbara was walking with her dog. An autopsy has been performed on Ms. Rote, and Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of this suspicious death.

At this time, Detectives are asking anyone with information or with video surveillance they have not viewed from the area, to come forward. If you live in the area of McKelvy/Vartikian and have video surveillance showing a red car on March 4, between 6:45 A.M. – 7:10 A.M., or if you have information regarding this case, please call Clovis Police Detective Jaime at (559) 324-3495, or Valley Crimestoppers at (559) 498-STOP.  A photo of the vehicle in question is included below.