Crime & Safety
Melanie Conroy Mourned By Family, Friends After Killing
On the day of her memorial services, the man accused of killing Melanie Beth Conroy's faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
HEMET, CA —Hemet resident Melanie Beth Conroy, 47, was laid to rest Friday, three weeks after her body was discovered in a Vista parking lot. The man suspected in her violent death, Michael Lee Lorence, 46, also of Hemet, is being held without bail.
Lorence's arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 2 at Riverside Superior Court Banning Justice Center, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. Lorence is charged with murder and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. A GoFundMe was established to raise money for Conroy's three children as they navigate her sudden loss.
Hemet police Lt. Michael Mout discussed the investigation that led to Lorence's arrest.
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On July 27, investigators researching Conroy's disappearance found her body inside the trunk of her car at a Vista Park and Ride — one day after the family filed a missing person report.
"The family uncovered evidence suggesting Melanie's disappearance was not voluntary," Mout said.
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That evidence led authorities to Lorence, a convicted felon already detained in San Diego on an unrelated fugitive warrant, according to Mout.
Lorence was transferred Wednesday from San Diego to Riverside County, officials say.
Court records show Lorence has prior convictions for sex offenses in another jurisdiction, but they weren't listed. He also has convictions in Riverside County for auto theft, failing to register as a sex offender and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to Riverside County District Attorney Spokesperson John Hall, Lorence and Conroy were known to each other.
Conroy graduated from Temecula Valley High School and worked in retail for over 15 years in a supervisory position. She is survived by her children Alyx Gomez, Jesse Sanford and Josie Conroy.
She is also survived by her mother, Madeline Conroy; her brother, Brian Conroy; and her grandson, Dominic Gomez.
Donations to her loved ones are being made on her Go Fund Me page.
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