New homeowners move in and find dead body

– A new Simi Valley homeowner eager to move in made a gruesome discovery upon opening their bedroom door.

The unidentified buyer had purchased the Simi Valley home for $430,000 June 22 from the previous owners, Mary Karacas, 75, and her boyfriend Salvatore Orefice, 84. Roy Jones told the LA Times that Mary Karacas, 75, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the elderly man’s death. He was checking up on their progress in moving out.

At about 4:15 p.m. Sunday, Simi Valley Police Department officers were dispatched to the home near Kuehner Drive and E. Los Angeles Avenue after receiving a call regarding an unresponsive man inside the residence.

When no one answered, authorities say, he entered the property and found the body covered with a blanket on a bed. The blanket over the body immediately indicated to detectives that it was unlikely to be self-inflicted, Jones said.

Karackas was booked into jail on a murder charge, said Jones. She told investigators that she had been arguing with Orefice and shot him during the fight.

After Orefice and Karacas sold the home, they were given 30 days to leave the premises.

She has no prior record other than traffic violations, police said.