[bloodrayne]

Police Make Arrest After 2 Men Found Living With Dead Body

Man Believed To Be Stealing From Landlord

Omaha, Nebraska -- An arrest was made Monday in the death of Council Bluffs woman.

Council Bluffs police found two men living with a dead woman on Friday after an anonymous tipster called the Crime Stoppers line.

Officers went to 233 Fourth St. on Friday afternoon and found the body of Violet Christensen, 93. Two men were found living at the address with the body. An autopsy on Saturday showed that Christensen's death was suspicious. It wasn't clear how long she had been dead.

Ross Holford, 48, who lived in the home, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Investigators believe he was stealing from her to buy drugs and alcohol. Holford lived in the upstairs apartment of the home, while Christensen lived on the main level.

"There was blunt-force trauma to the victim's head which was the contributing factor to our victim's death," said Sgt. Jerry Mann, with the Council Bluffs Police Department.

Police said Christensen owned the home and Holford and another man live there in exchange for doing some odd jobs. According to the arrest warrant, Holford said he went to check on Christensen because he had not seen or heard from her in a couple of days. After knocking on the door for about 10 minutes, he said he forced the door open with his shoulder. Investigators believe Christensen was behind the door and was hit in the head. They believe the trauma led to a heart attack, causing her death. She was later found lying in her bed.

Investigators said Holford initially took $83 from her purse and left. They allege he went back into the home at least five different times over the next week removing items from the home and selling them for money, which police believe he used to purchase cocaine and alcohol.

Investigators do not think the other man in the house played a role in the death.

"At this point, we're not looking at him for any charges, but the investigation is still ongoing," Mann said.

Holford's criminal background includes felony theft and drunken driving.

He is being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail.