Probe Opens Into Death of Local Activist

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Native American activist Jessie Roybal, whose body was discovered in her Camarillo home nine days ago, authorities said Monday.

“We’re investigating her death as suspicious,� said Capt. Bill Montijo of the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit. He declined to say what it was about the death of the 62-year-old Indian leader that aroused the interest of law enforcement.

But friends and relatives said they do not believe the preliminary finding by the coroner’s office that she died of natural causes, specifically a heart attack. Although she may have had a heart attack, relatives say, they think someone brought it on.

“I think something happened, and she went into her room and had a heart attack,� Letitia Roybal said. “I think there was some kind of scuffle.�

Roybal was for 18 years head of the Candelaria American Indian Council, a job training and placement center for Native Americans.

She was also well known for her efforts to preserve Chumash artifacts and history, and was part of a group of Native American activists who fought to establish the Chumash Interpretive Center in Thousand Oaks.

Roybal, a strong-willed, relentless advocate for the causes she believed in, was fired from Candelaria in 1991 amid allegations that money had been embezzled from the nonprofit organization. Roybal sued Candelaria and its board of directors, claiming she was unjustly fired, but lost the case.

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Roybal was found dead in the bedroom of her modest Camarillo house on the afternoon of Oct. 25, hours before she planned to go out to dinner with friends.

Donna Beck, who lives with Roybal’s daughter Letitia and considered Roybal a surrogate mother, said the family grew increasingly suspicious after a coroner’s investigator asked them about a series of marks found on Roybal’s arm and body. Beck said the investigator suspected they were human bites.

“I don’t know what happened,� Beck said, “but deep in my heart, I believe someone . . . had something to do with� Roybal’s death.

The coroner’s investigator, Zelmira Isaac, told a different story Monday about the so-called bite. She said she simply asked Beck about a single mark on Roybal’s body.

“There was a mark on the body that we were trying to determine what it could be,� Isaac said. “I’m not going to say it was a bite mark.� She also said she doubted the mark had anything to do with Roybal’s death.

Isaac said coroner’s investigators were conducting toxicology tests to see if there were any other possible causes for Roybal’s death. But she said Roybal had a history of heart trouble.

Roybal, who was half Creek Indian, came to Ventura County from Los Angeles in the 1950s with her husband, Tony Roybal--who preceded her in death--and quickly became active in Native American affairs.

In addition to her work as director of the Candelaria American Indian Council, which under her leadership provided services in six counties, Roybal helped establish a Native American office in the state Employment Development Department.

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She also helped start day-care centers for Native Americans throughout California and worked with local archeological groups to protect Chumash relics.

Roybal was not universally respected in Native American circles, however. Some critics said she abused her powers.

After losing her court battle against Candelaria, friends said Roybal worked on a still-unpublished children’s book of tales handed down by tribal elders.

She spent most of her time at home, and it is there, her daughter Letitia believes, Roybal might have been involved in an altercation that aggravated her heart problem.