Siskiyou County Authorities Arrest Suspect in Murder of Seiad Valley Woman
YREKA, CA — “On June 8th, 2026, a Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) patrol unit located a deceased unidentified female near Hawkinsville View Road after receiving a report from a passerby earlier that morning. Through forensic analysis, SCSO detectives positively identified the woman as 68-year-old Frankie Marie Keller of Seiad Valley.
An autopsy of Ms. Keller determined that she had died as the result of blunt force trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide. Over the course of their subsequent investigation, SCSO detectives identified Ms. Keller’s roommate, Elzie Jane Hernandez, 39, as a suspect and were issued a warrant for her arrest on June 29th. SCSO Detectives located Hernandez driving through Butte County and ultimately Sacramento, where she was detained by Sacramento County Sheriff’s personnel on June 29th, 2026.
After her apprehension, Hernandez was transported to the Siskiyou County Jail and charged with the murder of Ms. Keller. The preliminary hearing for Elzie Hernandez is scheduled for August 14th, 2026 at the Siskiyou County Courthouse.
Over the course of this investigation, the Sheriff’s Office has been unable to locate any next of kin for Ms. Keller, asks the public for assistance with this matter. As this remains an active investigation, if you have any information regarding the case, please contact Agent Smith or Detective Gulick with the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 841-2900. For media inquiries, contact our Public Information Officer at (530) 598 1647.”
