Woman found dead in El Centro Motel identified as well-known attorney

The El Centro Police Department has identified the woman who was found dead in a motel Friday as local area attorney Ann Marie Zimmermann.

ECPD said Zimmermann was found dead at the Golden West Motel a little before noon. News 11 spoke with the motel owner, who said the incident happened in room #9.

Officers said there was a man who was found injured in the room. The man is currently being treated at a local area hospital.

Police said they do have one person of interest and that they hope to make an arrest soon.

According to Zimmermann’s biography posted on her website, she had been practicing law in the Imperial Valley since 1992. After 12 years of working with a larger firm, she opened her solo practice in 2004.

Zimmermann grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and graduated from Punahou High School. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, graduating cum laude from its honors English program. As an undergraduate, she was active in a number of extra-curricular activities and was awarded a grant to assist professors at the British Library in London, England.

The website lists her as married with one daughter. Zimmermann was 53 years old.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday and is expected to confirm the manner of death is homicide.