Woman accused of murdering neighbor in Lompoc appears in court

The woman accused of murdering her neighbor appeared in a Lompoc courtroom on Tuesday.

Melissa Martin was arrested in June and charged with killing her 74-year-old neighbor, Eldri Jauch.

Jauch was reported missing under suspicious circumstances in June. Her body was later found in Martin’s apartment.

Lompoc police say Jauch was just “being a caring neighbor” when she knocked on the door of Martin’s home. Martin is accused of beating Jauch to death with a baseball bat.

Martin is being held at the Santa Barbara County Jail, on a $2 million bail.

Her continued arraignment is set for Sept. 17. She is expected to enter a plea on that day.

Our news cameras were not allowed into the court room on Tuesday.