Monique Gilbertson, 68, was discovered inside her home’s freezer following a wellness check prompted by a request from an employee at her 55-and-older community, 8 News Now reported.
In a 911 call obtained by the station, the employee informed the dispatcher that Gilbertson had contacted authorities about two weeks earlier, expressing concerns about her roommate.
“She had a roommate issue, and she called because in her roommate’s stuff, she had found a gun,” the employee said, adding that Gilbertson couldn’t get through to the police and planned to dispose of the weapon herself.
Gilbertson’s former roommate, 37-year-old Daniel Roush, had met her at a store and was invited to live with her. Initially, they got along, but Gilbertson became frustrated with Roush’s cleanliness and kicked him out on October 22, changing the locks to her home.
The employee noted that Gilbertson used to frequently call the property management office but stopped making calls around October 22.
When police performed the wellness check on November 6, they found Roush and another woman inside the house, with Gilbertson nowhere in sight.
Roush allegedly told officers that he found Gilbertson slumped over in a dining room chair and, unsure of what to do, decided to place her in the freezer. He claimed he believed she had overdosed on cocaine or fentanyl, substances he suspected she had bought from him.
However, the employee who initiated the wellness check informed the dispatcher that she didn’t believe Gilbertson used drugs or drank alcohol.
Authorities have not disclosed the exact cause of Gilbertson’s death but confirmed she was found in the freezer with minimal blood present. Roush has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with her death.
