WASHOUGAL, Wash. — The murder of Sandra Ladd rocked the small Clark County town of Washougal.
"Her passing was a really huge shock to all of us who knew her," said longtime colleague and friend Lester Brown.
71-year-old Ladd was found dead inside her home on 41st Street back in mid-June. Detectives have not said much other than she died of homicidal violence.
"The randomness of it doesn't match kind of what we thought of her," said Brown.
Ladd worked for the Washougal School District for more than 25 years. She wore many hats including elementary school secretary and administrative assistant to the superintendent.
"She was very dedicated to her work," said Brown. "She was a really hard worker, worked a lot of late nights."
As dependable as she was at work, Brown says, she was even more so at home.
"She worked super hard to provide for her kids and made sure they got all the opportunities and education they were able to pursue," said Brown.
Brown says Ladd's death has taken a toll on her children and grandchildren.
"It's hard to imagine this could've happened to her," said Brown.
Even more difficult to imagine is that the case has gone unsolved so far.
"It's just a really dark cloud," said Brown. "I think it would bring closure for a lot of people if they knew the person who did this to her had been dealt with."
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest in this case. Tips can remain anonymous.