Police are searching for a 39-year-old woman suspected of killing her wife and fleeing with the couple’s two dogs.

Tiffany Nowden-Vale is suspected of bludgeoning her wife, Russina Vale, 38, to death in their apartment in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego. Vale’s body was found June 5.

Nowden-Vale is believed to have taken the dogs, named Bella and Scruffy, with her as she fled.

The couple had lived in Colorado until last year. Vale was seeking a divorce from Nowden-Vale, according to Vale’s sister, Sarah Alexander.


“We need to find her,” Alexander told KMGH-TV in Denver. “We need to bring peace.”

Nowden-Vale is described as 5 feet 9, 190 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about the case was encouraged to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered, officials said.