Wife found dead in Tahoe hotel in possible murder-suicide

A woman who police believe was killed by her husband as part of a murder-suicide last week was likely asphyxiated, police said Tuesday.

Lyra Fisher-Bomediano, 43, was found dead about 2:30 p.m. June 20 in a room at the Lone Pine Lodge following a report of suspicious circumstances, according to a Friday statement from the city.

Managers at the hotel reported hearing a child crying in one of the rooms. Police entered the room and found Fisher-Bomediano dead on the bed. Her 2-year-old son was nearby, according to the statement.

Police considered Fisher-Bomediano’s husband and father of her child, 41-year-old Aaron Fisher, a suspect in the death shortly after the discovery, said Police Chief Brian Uhler. It is unknown how long Fisher-Bomediano was dead in the room before police discovered her.

Fisher was found hanging from a tree in the forest behind Raley’s Supermarket near Stateline about 1:25 p.m. Friday, according to the statement. Police consider his death a suicide.

An autopsy found “no definitive cause of death” for Fisher-Bomediano, according to El Dorado County Sheriff’s Detective Matt Harwood. The autopsy did show indications that she was asphyxiated, Uhler said.

An official cause of death will not be determined until pathology results are returned, which could take months, Harwood said.

The couple’s son was not physically injured during the incident. The child is in the care of Child Protective Services, according to the statement.

The statement lists Fisher-Bomediano as a South Lake Tahoe resident, but it is unclear whether she lived here permanently and why she was in a hotel room, Uhler said. Her husband reportedly moved back to South Lake Tahoe from Hawaii earlier this month. Police have responded to previous incidents involving Fisher and Fisher-Bomediano, but Uhler did not provide details Tuesday.

Fisher had displayed unusual behavior in the days leading up to the discovery of his wife’s body, Uhler said. He was arrested about 8 a.m. June 19 on suspicion of drunken driving after driving a vehicle off the road near Emerald Bay. He was “highly intoxicated” at the time, Uhler said.

Fisher bonded out of jail prior to the discovery of Fisher-Bomediano’s body, Uhler said.

“At that point there was nothing suspicious,” Uhler said.

Police consider it unusual that Fisher did not try to contact his wife or child following his release from custody, Uhler said.

“Those facts don’t line up with common sense,” Uhler said.

The crash may also have been a suicide attempt where Fisher tried to drive off a cliff, Uhler added.

Police do not have a motive in the case and Fisher remains the only suspect, he said.

“There is no indication of any other persons involved at this point,” Uhler said.

The case remains under investigation and police are still piecing together what happened on the final day of Fisher-Bomediano’s life.

The police chief said the incident was a “terrible situation.”