Family and friends of a Ukiah woman who died under questionable circumstances have launched a web page and petition drive devoted to promoting prosecution of her nearly three-year-old homicide.
"It's past time," said Atlanta resident Linda Puls, sister of the victim, Susan Keegan, who would have turned 58 next week.
"It's hard to understand what they're waiting for," said Keegan's cousin, Karyn Feiden, a New York writer.
The petition on the website, justice4susan.com, urges the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office to "exercise the authority vested in you by the voters of Mendocino County and make an arrest."
District Attorney David Eyster said in a statement Thursday he will not be swayed by the petition.
"The Keegan matter continues to be a very active investigation. While families are welcome to do things to feel more involved or make themselves feel collectively better, this office has not and will not prosecute any individual solely because of outside pressure brought to bear by any particular special interest group," he said in a prepared statement.
Law enforcement officers found Keegan, a local actor, singer, teacher and writer, dead at home Nov. 11, 2010. Her husband of 32 years, Dr. Peter Keegan, had phoned police at about 7:45 a.m., saying he'd found her on the bathroom floor, unconscious and bleeding from an apparent fall. The couple were separated but continued to live together in their south Ukiah home.
The death initially was called "undetermined," but in August 2012, law enforcement officials declared that a continuing investigation had determined it was a homicide.
Susan Keegan died from inhaling vomit, the result of blunt force trauma to the head, according to Mendocino County sheriff's officials. She had hydrocodone and high levels of alcohol in her body, but they did not cause her death, according to the autopsy.
Sheriff's officials said they had a "person of interest" in mind but no official suspect has been named.
"Who murdered Susan Keegan?" the newly launched website asks readers. "There is one suspect in the case but no one has been prosecuted," states the website, which appears to have an answer in mind.
Peter Keegan previously declined to comment on his wife's death and could not be reached by phone Thursday.
Those pushing for resolution of the case say the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office mishandled the case early on. Investigators did not appear to challenge Peter Keegan's statements and did not initially treat the house as a crime scene, family said.
Just a few days after Susan Keegan's death, officials released her body to her husband, who had her cremated, they said.
Sheriff Tom Allman said the investigation is ongoing and he cannot comment on allegations made on the website at this time.
"This case isn't closed," he said Thursday.
Two warrants have been issued to search the Keegan home, both well after Keegan's death. One was in June 2011, the other in January, according to family.
Results of DNA tests collected at the home in January are pending, the District Attorney's Office said previously. An update on the tests was not available Thursday.
You can reach Staff Writer
Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com.
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