Man in custody after woman's mysterious death in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Investigators are trying to unravel a mystery surrounding the murder of a 76-year-old woman in Santa Ana.

At approximately 4:14 a.m. Monday, a citizen called the Santa Ana Police Department after hearing someone yelling for help from a parking lot in the 1600 block of W. First Street. When officers arrived, they found Betty Jane Willis unresponsive and lying on the ground.

Orange County Fire Authority personnel tried to render aid to the woman, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the scene, Santa Ana police took 22-year-old Rosendo Xo Pec into custody after he attempted to flee, police said. He was booked at the Santa Ana Detention Center on homicide charges.

It remained unclear how the woman died or whether the two knew each other.

Anyone with information was urged to call Santa Ana homicide detectives.