Tammy Jo Charland, 38, was found dead the morning of June 15, 2009, in an alley off the 3000 block of Main Street in San Diego’s Barrio Logan. A passerby discovered her wrapped in a comforter and emergency personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators noted signs of trauma; an autopsy confirmed she had been sexually assaulted and strangled, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Charland had experienced periods of homelessness and substance abuse and was the eldest of four siblings. She had married Larry Perry nine months before her death; the couple were both homeless at the time and had been encouraging each other to seek treatment. Perry said they had discussed his entering treatment on the day she was killed. Detectives collected DNA evidence at the scene, but it has not matched profiles in current databases and no arrests have been announced.

Anyone with information that could help identify the person responsible is asked to contact the San Diego Police Homicide Unit at 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 580-8477.