this was posted on the kgw.com website

KEIZER, Ore. (AP) -- An autopsy determined that the woman found dead in her Keizer apartment Monday had been beaten to death.

The Statesman Journal reports Keizer police have activated the multi-agency Homicide Assault Response Team to investigate the death of 43-year-old Christine Michelle Speten.

She lived alone.

She either had a routine that she never strayed from which made it easy for her to be targeted or she trusted someone she shouldn't have.

or she had a drug debt or gambling debt. Or she had an ex boyfriend husband. Or she was irresponsible or forgetful and left her windows open. Or she really pissed someone off bad.

more info


An autopsy has determined that the death of a Keizer woman whose body was found at her apartment Monday was a homicide.

Keizer Police Capt. Jeff Kuhns identified the victim as Christine Michelle Speten, 43.

She was found dead at her apartment in the 1100 block of Orchard Court NE about 2 p.m. Monday. Speten lived alone and had been at the complex at least 10 years, police and neighbors said.

An autopsy was performed Wednesday by Deputy State Medical Examiner Clifford Nelson.

"He has concluded the manner of death is indeed homicide and the cause of death is blunt-force trauma to the head," Kuhns said.

Kuhns said he couldn't release information about the weapon used to kill Speten, in order to protect the investigation.

"There's certain things I have to hold back that only the killer would know," the police spokesman said.

He declined to say whether police have suspects in the homicide but said they have made no arrests.

After the autopsy, Keizer police activated the multi-agency Homicide Assault Response Team to assist in their investigation. On Wednesday, police continued serving a search warrant at the apartment where Speten lived and secured the residence.

Speten's death is the second homicide in Keizer this year. The city averages one homicide each year, Kuhns previously has said.

Neighbors said they'd always felt safe in the apartment complex but the homicide has them shaken.

"This is a great neighborhood. Our community is extremely involved," said Megan Genthner, who lives in the apartment complex. "Something like this has kind of shocked everybody."

Genthner said residents are friendly and trustworthy; sometimes she'd accidentally leave her door unlocked but it didn't bother her.

"Now I'm triple and quadruple checking my doors," she said.

or it could have been random/opportunistic.

Poor thing. Hopefully it happened fast. There was no sexual assault which kinda points to something besides random though.