Santa Cruz police identify victim of homicide after suspect turns himself in

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) Santa Cruz police have identified the victim of a homicide that is believed to have happened in an RV on Soquel Avenue last Monday.

Police identify the victim as 33-year-old Rachel "Eli" Meisenheimer, who they believe had been in a relationship with the suspect for about 5 years.

The suspect, 30-year-old Beau Joseph Paepke, turned himself in to the Santa Cruz County Jail for an unreported homicide on Thursday and gave enough information to confirm the homicide and a location.

Santa Cruz man turns himself in for unreported homicide

Officers responded to an RV parked on Front Street and found Meisenheimer's body inside. Paepke told investigators that the murder happened Monday when the RV was parked on Soquel Avenue. He was booked into the County Jail on a murder charge.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Trevor Kendall at 831-420-5963 or the tip line at 831-420-5995.