Death in Mesa Verde shocks neighborhood

Lolita Harper

Residents of a normally quiet Mesa Verde neighborhood were wrestling

with sadness and disbelief Tuesday after learning of the death of a

friendly new neighbor, whom they described as a cheerful wife and

aspiring mother.

Jessica Owen Rothfuss died Sunday in her home in the 3000 block of

Samoa Place in Mesa Verde, officials said. Costa Mesa police officers

responded to a call at 9:42 a.m. and found the 32-year-old woman

unconscious, Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney said. Officers called

for paramedics, who reported her death at the scene.

Birney did not release a suspected cause of death and said the

department is waiting for an autopsy report from the coroner’s

office. No arrests have been made in connection to her death.

Neighbors described Rothfuss as a sweet girl and a smiling young

wife, who was anxious to settle into her new home. The young couple

moved into the Samoa Place home about two months ago and quickly made

friends in the neighborhood.

Bethany and Michael Herms, who sold the quaint, one-story home to

the Rothfusses, said they hand-picked the young couple from a list of

three possible buyers. Bethany Herms said she could tell Jessica

Rothfuss loved the house the moment she walked in and nudged her

husband to buy it. The Rothfusses even sent flowers to the real

estate agent after the transaction was complete.

“She really pushed for it, she was so thrilled,” Herms said. “They

were a young couple like us. They were the best choice.”

The Herms had already decorated one room as a nursery for their

child, which was another selling point for the Rothfuss family.

“She mentioned starting a family,” Herms said.

It is hard to imagine a handful of police cars, paramedics and a

coroner’s van outside their old house, Herms said.

It is hard to envision anything bad happening in the house they

started a family in, she added.

“I was so shocked to learn that, I mean gosh, that is where I

brought my baby home from the hospital,” Herms said.

The Herms family was close to their Samoa Place neighbors and were

sad to leave but needed a bigger house.

Samoa Place residents, who were just as sad to say good-bye to the

Herms but welcomed the Rothfusses, said they were grieving their

shocking loss.

Robin Leffler, a frequent voice City Council meetings who is three

doors down from Rothfuss, said she was stunned.

“It is just really, really sad,” Leffler said. “It shook all of us

up a whole lot.”

Rothfuss is survived by her husband, John; parents, Bill and

Connie Owen; and sister, Kendall Parks. She was born in Aspen, Colo.

and had lived in Costa Mesa eight years. The cause of her death has

yet to be determined.

Rod Thomas, deputy coroner for the county, said his office is

waiting for the results of toxicology and micro-study reports, both

of which are commonly performed when such a young person dies. He

expects the results in six to eight weeks.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.