SACRAMENTO, Calif — A woman who was found dead inside of a Citrus Heights apartment Wednesday was dating the man who died hanging from a tree near Interstate 80, police officials confirmed.
Citrus Heights Police officers found the woman's body inside of an apartment on the 7400 block of Auburn Oaks Court while conducting a welfare check. The unidentified woman suffered from "significant trauma to her body" and had been dead inside of her apartment for days, police said.
Police officials ruled the woman's death as a homicide but said there is no threat to the community.
The welfare check was requested by the California Highway Patrol, which was investigating the "suspicious death" of a man found hanging from a tree on a freeway embankment between Roseville and Citrus Heights.
The Sacramento County Coroner identified the man as Robert Rankin, 59, from Citrus Heights. Rankin was found dead Jan. 11 about 30 feet from the traffic lanes on I-80 with a rope tied around his neck.
Police officials said it is still unclear if the two deaths are connected. The CHP is investigating Rankin's death, and Citrus Heights Police Department is investigating the woman's death.
If you have any information on either incident, call Citrus Heights police at (916) 727-5524 or CHP at (916) 348-2300.
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