Michael A. Battersby, 51, was charged with the rape and murder of his sister, 61, in their Kitsap, Washington home, OYOGist.com reports.
The police were called to the scene of the incident on Sunday where they found Battersby, the deceased’s brother, trying CPR on the unresponsive woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to reports by the police.
The woman’s death was initially ruled as one from natural causes but then they walked into the woman’s bedroom to look for her medications and noticed an instant message conversation on the woman’s screen with her friend where she she said her brother had raped her the night before and she had bruises all over.
An autopsy performed on Tuesday revealed the woman had been strangled, asphyxiated and drowned, and had a blunt-force injury to the back of her head and injuries consistent with forcible sexual contact, according to court documents.
Battersby was arrested on Tuesday night in his home and charged on Wednesday with first-degree domestic violence murder and second-degree domestic violence rape. He is being held at the Kitsap County Jail, Washington.
He is held on bail of $1 million.
