Investigators Remove Evidence from Spreckels Mansion

Investigators remained on site Thursday as they tried to determine how  the 32-year-old girlfriend of the homeowner died at the historic Spreckels mansion.

Officials from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's homicide unit were seen carrying two brown paper bags from the oceanfront residence in the morning, along with a three-legged table and a mirror or a picture frame.

Another worker carried out squares of what appeared to be gray carpet, while others removed a rolling plastic container. It was unclear what was inside.

The county sheriff's van that had been parked in front of the residence for nearly 24 hours left the scene at about 8:30 a.m.

As a sheriff's official left the scene he said, “We're done. We have nothing more to do here.” A Coronado police commander later confirmed that officers were only watching over the property until the private security firm hired by the homeowner takes over.

Police Chief Louis Scanlon appeared at about 7 a.m., consulted with his officers for about 10 minutes, then left without comment.

Rebecca Nalepa was pronounced dead early Wednesday after police were called to the home in the 1000 block of Ocean Boulevard. She was found on the grounds of the sprawling property, which includes a main house, guest house and garage.

Coronado's police, who do not maintain a full-time homicide unit, then summoned the Sheriff's Department to take over the case.

Authorities have yet to release a cause of death for Nalepa; blurred-out images of her nude body, filmed from helicopters, were aired by broadcast outlets.

A briefing is expected at sheriff's headquarters later on Thursday.

The homeowner, Jonah Shacknai, is a pharmaceuticals executive who splits his time between the mansion and Arizona, as Nalepa did.

His company, Medicis, issued a statement about Nalepa's death, calling it a “tragic incident,” and adding that “our thoughts are with Jonah and his family and (we) ask that the family’s privacy be respected during this difficult period. At this time, the Company has no further comment.”

Questions also surround another incident in the mansion Monday, when a child whom neighbors identified as Shacknai's fell and was injured. The 6-year-old boy remained hospitalized yesterday and neighbors said his condition was serious.

An ex-wife of Shacknai's also lives a few blocks to the west and was identified by neighbors as the mother of the injured boy.

The scene Thursday morning was much quieter than the day before, when tourists, neighbors and beach-goers paused to inquire about what anyone knew about the incident inside the mansion.

Traffic to Naval Air Station North Island slowed a bit as the investigators' vans remained in front of the residence in the early morning, but few bystanders appeared.

One woman, Micky Cunningham, who has lived in Coronado for 64 years, said she was startled by the intensity of Wednesday's events. Her 92-year-old mother also lives in the community.

“This is unbelievable and a little scary,” she said while walking her dog. “This sort of thing just doesn't happen in Coronado.”