The family of a woman found dead inside a suitcase floating in the San Francisco Bay last week will be handing out fliers today for the second day in a row, hoping to find information regarding her death.
Pearla Louis, 52, of San Francisco, was last heard from the morning of May 15 when she and her daughter exchanged their daily phone call at 6 a.m., San Francisco police Lt. Lyn Tomioka said.
Her family reported Louis missing at about 3 p.m. Monday, and shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday a suitcase was found in the water near the Embarcadero and Folsom Street with Louis inside, Tomioka said.
Louis’ death is being treated as a homicide, though police have not disclosed the manner in which she was killed. The San Francisco medical examiner’s office reported Louis had been dead for less than two days based on the lack of decomposition.
Her family spent Saturday canvassing the Embarcadero, the Tenderloin neighborhood and the area of Church and Duboce streets where Louis was known to spend time, hoping to find someone who knows what happened to her.
“The family is being proactive in assisting with the police investigation,” Tomioka said. “They’re trying to get as much attention to this as I’ve ever seen.”
No one has been arrested, but Tomioka said this morning that investigators have been following up on leads.
“We’re trying to find out (what happened) from the time she was last seen … to when she was found Tuesday,” Tomioka said. “We’re trying to fill in that timeline.”
Louis’ family will hand out fliers in the area of Broadway Street and Columbus Avenue starting at about 3 p.m. today. In addition, a vigil for Louis will be held at 8 p.m. Monday in Strawberry Creek Park in Berkeley, Tomioka said.
Photo of Pearla Louis from the CA DMV
