Authorities identify 61-year-old Tucson woman who died after patio attack

Susan Marie Gehrke, a 61-year-old Tucson woman, died July 29 from injuries she suffered during an assault at a midtown apartment complex, according to the Tucson Police Department.

Police said Gehrke and a man were on an apartment patio near Speedway Boulevard and Alvernon Way on July 24 when 27-year-old Dahseir Edward Jefferson approached them and became confrontational. Jefferson allegedly assaulted both people, seriously injuring Gehrke.

Officers and Tucson Fire Department personnel responded around 10 p.m. to reports of a fight. Gehrke was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the suspect left the area.

Police identified Jefferson through an investigation and found him near Speedway Boulevard and Country Club on July 28. He was arrested and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex on two counts of aggravated assault.