The San Diego, California community was rocked by the discovery of a body in a chest freezer at a residence in the Allied Gardens neighborhood. The deceased woman, Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones, would have been celebrating her 81st birthday this year.
The discovery was made on December 22, 2023, triggering a complex investigation into a case that has seemingly remained under the radar for nearly a decade.
The body was identified as Haxby-Jones by the San Diego Police Department and the medical examiner’s office.
The details of her death remain largely unknown, and authorities are treating the case as suspicious. San Diego Police Department’s Lt. Jud Campbell noted the absence of obvious signs of trauma on the body, further deepening the mystery.
Officials speculate that Haxby-Jones, who previously worked as a nurse anesthetist for two decades, may have been dead or missing for up to nine years. Her body was discovered by out-of-town relatives of the current homeowners, who are not related to Haxby-Jones. The body was found in a freezer in the house located on the 4900 block of Zion Avenue.
The case has garnered a great deal of attention due to the lengthy period Haxby-Jones is believed to have been dead or missing.
Investigators are currently probing the events leading up to and following her death. Despite no missing person’s report being on file for Haxby-Jones, it’s believed she resided at the property where her body was found, at some point.
The peculiar nature of the discovery has warranted the involvement of the San Diego Police Department’s homicide unit in the ongoing investigation.
An anonymous relative of Haxby-Jones told a local news outlet that the family had become estranged. “It’s a sorrowful situation as it unfolds. We prefer not to comment at this time due to our absence and lack of answers to these questions,” the relative stated. The relative fondly remembered her, whom they last saw in 1995, as a frequent smiler who was a military veteran.
Officials are still unclear about the exact time of her death and are urging anyone with pertinent information to come forward.
Results from the medical examiner’s office could shed light on the cause of death of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones and are currently pending.