As of Tuesday afternoon, police say they are still tracking down leads in what may have led to Ella Olsen's murder Saturday.
DILLINGHAM: Police have not named any suspects in what is now officially a homicide investigation in the death of Ella (George) Olsen. The 55-year-old Olsen was found dead Saturday evening at her daughter April Olson's home on Cessna Drive by a family friend sent to check on her.
Chief Dan Pasquariello told KDLG News Sunday the case was "suspicious," but did not comment further until an autopsy was released Monday morning.
"The autopsy results indicated that the manner of death of Ms. Olsen was homicide," Pasquariello said Monday afternoon.
As to what specifically caused Ms. Olsen's death, the chief is offering no further comment for now. A witness at the scene Saturday evening described blood spatters around the entry of the house leading back to the bedroom where Ms. Olsen was found. There was apparent trauma to her face. An initial open-channel page for a police and EMT response to the house had said that a woman "beaten" was not breathing.
Rumors on the circumstances surrounding the homicide, or other activity at that Cessna Drive house, have continued to circulate through town.
Pasquariello is dismissing the rumors for the time being. His department has been on the receiving end of a stream of calls with information and tips, which he said has been helpful up to a point.
"We've learned lots of information through those calls, also through the scene investigation and talking with witnesses," he said Monday. "But the only information we are concerned about," he said with emphasis, "is who caused the death of Ella Olsen."
Dillingham police officers were assisted in the investigation by two members of the Alaska Bureau of Investigation and a technician from the state Crime Lab.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Dillingham Police Department at 907-842-5354.
Reach the author of this article at dave@kdlg.org or by calling KDLG News at 907-842-2200.