Beaumont murder suspect arrested

A Beaumont woman wanted in the murder of her roommatewas arrested today in Simi Valley, a city spokeswoman said.

Vanessa Kathleen Fierro, 30, was arrested in the 1900 block of StoweStreet by Beaumont police, backed up by Simi Valley officers, about 2:20 a.m.and booked in Banning on suspicion of murder, Beaumont spokeswoman DarciMulvihill said.

Fierro, whose bail was set at $1 million, became a “person ofinterest” in the death of 44-year-old Elizabeth Asselin when the RiversideCounty Coroner’s Office classified her death as a homicide.

Asselin’s name was withheld at the request of the Beaumont PoliceDepartment during its investigation, but her name was released today bycoroner’s office, sheriff’s Sgt. April Smith said.

Asselin was found dead Feb. 28 at her home in the 200 block of WestSeventh Street. Police said someone they described as a friend asked them tocheck on Asselin because she had not been seen or heard of in several days.