Roseville man arrested, charged with murder of wife

Police are investigating the stabbing death of an 85-year-old Roseville woman, whose body was discovered at 10 a.m. Monday in the backyard of her home by a neighbor.Police have taken the victim's husband into custody on suspicion of murder.Responding officers found Emmeline Cayer, 85, on the back patio area of her residence at Walton Way, located in the Diamond Oaks neighborhood in central Roseville. Cause of death is believed to be stab wounds and other traumatic injuries.Joseph Philip Cayer, 81, was booked into Placer County jail Monday after being questioned by police. Officers obtained a search warrant to enter the home that afternoon. According to public records, the couple had been married 25 years and had lived in the residence since 1983.Police deployed eight officers to investigate the crime scene and had taped off the residence.For neighbors, the news came as a shock."They were just like grandparents," said Darin Purcell, who lived next door to the couple for two years. He recalled Emmeline as an extremely active senior who walked regularly and kept in good health. Purcell said Joe is an avid golfer and fisherman who brought catches over to share. "They would bring vegetables over to my wife," Purcell said.The couple owned property in Hawaii, says former neighbor Todd Slack, whose family bought a home next to the couple in 1985. They would often call his mother, insisting she come visit them when they traveled there. Slack also remembers them as congenial and generous."She was a real smart lady," Slack said. Police Sgt. Mike Allison says investigators are working to establish a time of death and possible motive, but cannot release any information at this time. While Emmeline was believed to be in good health, neighbors say her husband had been battling a variety of difficult challenges, including a recent bout with skin cancer, and bypass surgery. Two neighbors interviewed by the Press-Tribune said that Mr. Cayer had been "acting strange" recently.Police spokesperson Dee Dee Gunther says officers may have recovered a murder weapon, but the cause of death will have to be determined by the county coroner's office.Cayer will be arraigned at 1 p.m., today in Auburn.Jason Probst can be reached at jasonp@goldcountrymedia.com