The woman whose body was found in a freezer last month was a beloved member of her California community, forged a long career in the medical field and served in the military, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The body of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones was discovered in a chest freezer at a house on Zion Avenue in the Allied Gardens neighborhood of San Diego on December 22. Family members of someone who lives in the home made the grisly discovery while visiting from out of town.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, authorities believe Haxby-Jones may have been missing for up to nine years. She is believed to have lived at the house before her body was found there, but no one reported her missing.
The medical examiner’s office is still working to determine what caused the death. There were no obvious traumatic injuries to Haxby-Jones’ body, but investigators are treating the case as suspicious, according to NBC San Diego.
Haxby-Jones would have been 81 years old this year. She had worked at the Zion Medical Center as a nurse anesthetist from 1980 to 1999, where she was fondly remembered.
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“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones and want to express our sincerest condolences to her family, friends and loved ones,” a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente told the Times in a statement.
“Mary Margaret will be remembered as a dedicated healthcare professional and will be greatly missed by all of us at Kaiser Permanente that had the privilege to work alongside her.”
Haxby-Jones was reportedly estranged from her family, but one relative by marriage told the Times she would often smile and took care of her appearance. She and her husband made a hobby of rescuing exotic birds.
The relative also said Haxby-Jones was a veteran of the armed forces.
“I’m hoping that she can get the burial she deserves,” the relative told the Times.
To report information about Haxby-Jones, call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
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