Roommate of O.C. Homicide Victim Found Shot, Wounded

The roommate of a Santa Ana man found dead and stuffed into a closet was found Friday in the man’s car in Riverside County, suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Anne Marie Rodgers, 35, was on life-support systems at Riverside County Regional Hospital, Santa Ana Police Sgt. Raul Luna said. Rodgers was found about noon by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies in a 1998 red Mazda owned by 61-year-old Edward Bruce Horn. His body was found about 8 p.m. Thursday.

The car was found in a San Jacinto riverbed in Perris, Luna said. A weapon found in the car “will have to be tested to determine if it is the same one used in the homicide,” Luna said.

Luna did not know about Rodgers’ relationship with Horn, but she reportedly helped care for him. Horn, who had had a leg amputated, used a wheelchair.

Officers went to Lake Park mobile homes in the 4200 block of West 1st Street about 1 p.m. Thursday to check on Horn, who had not been seen in at least two days.

“There were obvious signs of a struggle and foul play,” which included blood found in the house, Luna said. But there was no sign of forced entry, he added.

“They did a cursory search and didn’t find anything,” he said. “They had to get a search warrant to do a detailed search.”

Detectives returned at 8 p.m. Thursday and “found Horn in a concealed position” in the closet, and Horn’s car was missing, he said.