ST. CROIX — A 47-year-old woman who was reported missing by her husband on Friday at about 11:36 a.m., was found dead, locked in her vehicle, in the Sunny Isle parking lot Saturday afternoon, V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glen Dratte confirmed to The Consortium following an inquiry. The publication had received numerous messages regarding the matter.
According to Mr. Dratte, citing information provided in a police report, a security officer with Ranger America observed an Infinity QX4 SUV parked close to the guard booth in Sunny Isle at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday. Then, on Saturday at 12:46 p.m., he realized the same vehicle was parked in the same location and noticed someone sitting in the driver’s seat. The security guard went near the vehicle and knocked on the driver’s seat window but received no response. He immediately called 911, according to police.
Upon officers’ arrival to the location, the deceased victim’s body was already decomposing, according to Mr. Dratte. Because the victim was locked inside the vehicle, police utilized the services of a wrecker company to unlock the SUV.
The victim was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital where she was pronounced dead on Saturday. She was identified as Elizabeth Shaller.
According to police, the victim’s husband said he last saw his wife on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. He told police that he had left the house, and when he returned home she was gone. The husband also told police that the victim was an alcoholic, and would sometimes binge-drink, which is the act of consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time.
Mr. Dratte said an investigation was launched and that cause of death remains undetermined pending a medical examination.
Feature image: Elizabeth Shaller, provided to The Consortium in a missing person’s notice.
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