Suspect arrested after young schoolteacher found dead, stuffed in the trunk of a car
A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a young schoolteacher who was found stuffed in the trunk of a burnt-out car in the Quartz Hill area on Wednesday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators initially identified 37-year-old Matthew Switalski as the person of interest who they "wanted only for questioning at this time."
However, on Friday they arrested him for the teacher's death.
The incident was first reported on Wednesday morning. Investigators first learned about the body in the 41400 block of 38th West Street in Quartz Hill at about 8:20 a.m. Neighbors said they heard a woman screaming and an explosion right before the fire.
KCAL News spoke to a man who said he was the uncle of the young schoolteacher. While he declined to share her identity, he said she was a quiet 27-year-old woman from Quartz Hill. She taught elementary school in Palmdale. The school called her family because she didn't show up to work.
The uncle said his niece had been in a romantic relationship for about a year now. He didn't know much about the man.
Neighbors told us her boyfriend owned the home and rented out rooms to several people. Investigators are still searching for the homeowner. He has not contacted them as of yet.
