Carmel Mountain Ranch woman was murdered; estranged husband committed suicide

A Carmel Mountain Ranch woman who was special education aide at Mt. Carmel High School was murdered. A person of interest in the case — her estranged husband — apparently committed suicide, police announced on Tuesday.

On April 24, San Diego Police Department homicide investigators were called in to investigate the suspicious death of Lori Hughes, 51. She was found deceased in her apartment in the 11700 block of Stoney Peak Drive in Carmel Mountain Ranch. Through an autopsy, Hughes’ death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.

Police said Hughes’ estranged husband, 49-year-old Daniel Hood of Rancho Penasquitos, was a person of interest in her death. They were married for 14 years, but separated last January. He was scheduled to be interviewed this week by investigators regarding the death of his wife.

On Monday, Hood was found dead inside his home in the 11300 block of Linares Street in Rancho Penasquitos. Homicide investigators responded and it was determined Hood’s death was an apparent suicide.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.