Person of interest named in death of woman found in trunk of burned-out car in Lancaster

Matthew Switalski, 37, is sought for questioning, however, authorities say he has vanished.

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Friday, December 22, 2023
Person of interest named after woman found in trunk of burned-out car
A person of interest has been identified in the death of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of a burned-out car in Lancaster.

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A person of interest has been identified in the death of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of a burned-out car in Lancaster Wednesday morning.

Matthew Switalski, 37, is sought for questioning, however, authorities say he has vanished.

His potential relationship with the victim is unclear, but detectives tell Eyewitness News he is the owner of the home where the woman's body was found.

The fire was reported just after 8:20 a.m. in the 41400 block of 38th Street West, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The victim's body was found in the trunk of a car after firefighters doused flames that had sparked in the garage. Investigators say there was an explosion at the home before the fire.

A neighbor says she heard a woman's "blood-curdling" scream in the area of the home around 2 a.m.

Although the victim's name has not been released, neighbors tell Eyewitness News she was a school teacher.

Switalski is a former Northrop Grumman employee. He hasn't worked for the company since May, according to Northrop Grumman.