An 88-year-old Vancouver woman's adopted daughter has been charged in her death, police say.
Patricia Rose Pelletier was found dead in her East 51st Avenue home on April 19th, after family members told police she had not been heard from for days.
The cause of death was not readily apparent, Const. Lindsey Houghton said.
"Over the course of the past three weeks, investigators have worked tirelessly to fill in the gaps," he said. "They have now reclassified this suspicious death as Vancouver's fourth homicide of 2010."
The deceased's daughter, Junette Page Jobin of New Westminster, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder.
The 58-year-old remains in custody. Her next court appearance has not been scheduled.
"My information is that she'll remain in custody through Mother's Day and into next week," Houghton said.
Pelletier is the widow of Vancouver Police Const. Kenneth Pelletier, who died in 1972.
Violet Kyle, who lived next door to Pelletier for 56 years, remembered the deceased as an avid gardener and sports fan.
"She was a very good person," she said. "Very kind. And something like this happens."
"If you're 88 or 89 you should be able to pass away when it's time, not when somebody else has the time."
The number of Vancouver homicides year-to-date is down significantly compared to the 13 reported in 2009, Houghton said.
