On Dec. 26, 2014, an elderly couple in La Verne was fatally wounded just outside of their home. Deputies were called by a groundskeeper shortly after 1 p.m. to the scene. The murder occurred at a large hilltop home in a gated community in the 300 block of Roughrider Road. The couple was later identified as 74-year-old Shirley Isom and her 89-year-old husband, Armie. Shirley Isom was pronounced dead at the scene while her companion, Armie Isom, was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. The couple was identified by a neighbor, who had lived next door for 20 years.

Armie Isom’s work dealt with construction and his wife was a mother with five children and was a grandmother as well. Authorities believe the two were victims of blunt force trauma. However, the suspect still remains unknown and no suspects have been named nor arrests been made. CHS senior Chandler Boldig was near the area at the time of the murder.

“I saw the suspect heading southwest, going away from the murder scene at around 1:30-2:00 p.m. He had camping-style gear on and was wearing a backpack. I would have to describe him as someone who was on a mission and knew exactly what he was doing,” Boldig said.

A local groundskeeper spoke about a man he saw leaving the scene, although he could not identify any specific features due to the man’s face being covered by a hood. However, a broad description was given about the attacker and goes as the following: Latino, between the ages 20 and 30, and being about 5 feet 7 inches to around 5 feet 11 inches. The descriptions did not match anyone who was scheduled to be on the property the day of the murder. The incident is believed to have occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. According to investigators, the suspect was believed to be wearing a green or orange hoodie and carrying a backpack.

“About an hour before the murder, my father witnessed the suspect walking along the road toward the house. He found it very unusual that the man would be roaming the area since there are no hiking trails nearby, and the road has very minimal space for those walking through,” CHS junior and neighbor of the victim, Monet Flores, said.

Detectives still have not found any missing valuables from the house. According to the investigators, they are still unsure of how the killer made his way into the home because there are no obvious signs of entry. According to neighbors, the suspect walked up Roughrider Road, which is a dead- end to the Isoms’ property. The neighbors then saw him walking back down the road shortly after.

The murderer’s motive to this killing is still uncertain, although the Isoms were defendants in many property lawsuits in the year 2013, according to court documents.

The crime is still being investigated as there is a lack of evidence and motive. The investigation will soon shift to a wider focus as detectives review the couple’s business information and personal lives for possible clues. As of now, the Isom family has preferred to make no comments about the incident.

If any Claremont and La Verne residents have information about this case, police advise them to call Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Since this incident has caused a lot of chaos in the Claremont and La Verne area, residents should be extra careful, making sure to lock their doors and be aware of their surroundings.