SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Authorities released the name Friday of a woman found dead inside a fire-gutted car on a cul-de-sac near Santana High School.
Firefighters who extinguished the flames that engulfed the vehicle in the 11200 block of Mast Boulevard in Santee about 11 p.m. Wednesday discovered the badly burned body of 33-year-old Andrea Daves, according to sheriff's officials.
Daves was from Columbus, Ohio and was stationed in San Diego with the Navy. She was on maternity leave and had two young children at the time of her death.
According to Daves' friends, she graduated from Ohio University, joined the Navy and was dedicated to her country and her family.
"There is no way that was an accident at all. Nobody can understand. How does that even happen to someone of that caliber," said Daves' friend, Chantel Grooms.
Andrea's friend would called her AJ.
"It does not make sense to us. The type of person that AJ was and then to know these details, it makes it difficult for us. It makes it hard to even grasp that this happened," said Tiffany Byrd.
According to the Navy, Daves joined in 2009, and had been assigned to the Fleet Readiness Southwest Region since 2014.
Her friend's remain adamant it was not a suicide and do not believe she would leave her children without a mother.
"That was something malicious and personal. We just want answers," said Byrd.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Department Homicide Unit at (858) 974-2321.
The cause and circumstances of the Santee resident's death remained under investigation this afternoon, Lt. Kenn Nelson said. It was unclear if the car had been involved in a crash before catching fire.
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