Body found in Roseville identified

Placer County investigators arrested a 25-year-old female in connection with the suspected murder of a woman whose body was found in rural Roseville.The body of 24-year-old Alicia Ernst, of Citrus Heights, was found around 8 a.m. Monday by an employee with the Department of Public Works on the side of Walerga Road near Old Walerga Road, said Lt. Jeff Ausnow of the Placer County Sheriff's Department.Stephanie Nicole Erends, 25, was booked into Placer County Jail early Tuesday morning and charged with a single count of murder in connection with Ernst's death.The cause of Ernst's death has not yet been released by officials.That information would jeopardize the investigation at this point, Ausnow said.Detectives canvassed nearby neighborhoods and were able to locate witnesses who placed Erends in the area where Ernst's body was found.(Monday) night we processed the scene and got some information that led us to a woman who was banging on neighbors doors over the weekend, Ausnow said. Through further investigation, enough probable cause was established to connect Erends to the murder of Ernst.It appears that the body had been out there no more than a couple of days, he said.Ernst appeared to have been killed near the location where her body was found. At this point officials declined to release further information about the killing, saying only that the investigation continues. Erends is in custody without bail in the Placer County Jail and is expected to be arraigned Thursday.The Journal's Penne Usher can be reached at penneu@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment on auburnjournal.com.