UPDATE: The Madera County District Attorney announces that Mary O’Keefe has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. A pre-preliminary hearing has been set for Thursday, December 20th.
(KMJ) – Madera County Sheriff’s Deputies continue to investigate a weekend murder near North Fork.
Saturday morning, Deputies were called to a home on Road 225 near North Fork after a man found his mother dead on her front porch. Initial investigation revealed that the woman had injuries and had apparently been in some type of altercation.
At about the same time Deputies were also dispatched to a welfare check of another woman who lived nearby and was showing signs of having been in a physical fight.
Investigators say evidence gathered at both locations indicated that the deceased female had been killed by the other woman.
The victim has been identified as 76 year old Bonnie Hale of North Fork. She was former North Fork Rancheria Mono Tribal Council member.
Detectives arrested 63 year old Mary O’Keefe of North Fork for murder and she was booked into the Madera County Department of Corrections on Saturday evening.
An autopsy will be conducted this week to determine exactly how Hale.
This is the fourth murder case in the Eastern Madera County area this year.
