The Rohnert Park Dept. of Public Safety is investigating a possible homicide after discovering the body of a 66-year-old woman on Tuesday in her home on Bernice Avenue.

The victim unofficially has been identified as Dianne Hughes, who lived alone in the home. Officers found evidence of a violent act inside the home near El Camino High School after friends and family members, who had been unable to reach her, alerted the department. Relatives of the victim had not spoken to her since Sunday, May 6.

“It appears she received blunt-force trauma,” Sgt. Jeff Nicks of RPDPS said on Wednesday morning. “We’re working some leads, and we still have an outstanding vehicle. Us finding that vehicle is key. We have an autopsy scheduled today (Wednesday), and we’re hoping to be able to give more info.”

Normally, an official autopsy report takes six weeks to complete, but Nicks said the RPDPS should have more immediate information because detectives from the department are attending the autopsy at the coroner’s office. A white 2005 Toyota Highlander with license plate 5SGC869, which is registered to Hughes, was missing from the driveway.

According to RPDPS, they were contacted by a friend of Hughes a little after 8 a.m. and asked to check on Hughes. With her vehicle missing and the door locked, the officer who arrived on the scene did not enter the home.

Another call, this time from a family member, convinced officers to return nearly four hours later. This time they entered the residence, examined the crime scene and began contacting Hughes’ neighbors.

This case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information or information on the whereabouts of her Toyota Highlander is encouraged to contact RPDPS at 584-2600.