Silke Jasso
A California landlady was found dead floating in her pool last summer, and the investigation of her murder is finally getting traction in the courts.
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Police say that 65-year-old Mimie Anita Cowen may have recorded her own murder, and the main suspect is a former tenant that lived in her building.
According to USA Today, when police arrived on the scene, they found that “the floor was covered with smashed glass, discarded flowers and clumps of long, human hair.”
However, the most notable piece of evidence was a recording device which may have captured the murder. Police believe that the tape records Scott Pettigrew murdering Cowen.
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The tape reportedly shows Cowen screaming “Stay away from me” at her attacker and “You bastard! You bastard! You bastard!” The landlady had previously tried to evict Pettigrew, and a judge placed a 5-yard restraining order on the tenant.
According to WTSP, five days before she was killed, Cowen said, “I am being terrorized daily in my own home. Escalating each day. I need help. I need a restraining order.”
They were set to go to court at a later date to work out a permanent solution, but Cowen was murdered before that date. In court, Pettigrew stayed silent on Friday, and his lawyer reportedly asked “only a few questions.”
On the night that Cowen was murdered, police were sent to her apartment, where they found her.
Relatives alerted the authorities after they heard her arguing with somebody on the phone.
