When a police officer is found dead in her home with a bullet between her eyes, who investigates?
Both Ciara Estrada and her boyfriend were San Diego police officers. They went with friends to a New Year’s Eve party. Pictures from that night show the smiling couple. The next day, Ciara was dead … discovered on her bathroom floor with her gun in her lap.
Her own department investigated the death and quickly ruled it a suicide. Investigators, who were her colleagues, made no arrests. Identified no suspects.
But her family says there’s more to her story – tragic circumstances that should have prompted a more thorough investigation. They don’t think the police dug deep enough into the death of one of their own.
One of Their Own
When a police officer is found dead in her home with a bullet between her eyes, who investigates?
Both Ciara Estrada and her boyfriend were San Diego police officers. They went with friends to a New Year’s Eve party. Pictures from that night show the smiling couple. The next day, Ciara was dead … discovered on her bathroom floor with her gun in her lap.
Her own department investigated the death and quickly ruled it a suicide. Investigators, who were her colleagues, made no arrests. Identified no suspects.
But her family says there’s more to her story – tragic circumstances that should have prompted a more thorough investigation. They don’t think the police dug deep enough into the death of one of their own.
Episodes
One of Their Own Team
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Katie Hyson
Reporter, Producer and Host -
Katie Hyson is the reporter, producer and host of One of Their Own. Katie Hyson reports on racial justice and social equity for KPBS. She moved here from Gainesville, Florida, where she reported on the same beat. Prior to journalism, she advised immigrants, administered an organic farm, and offered nonprofit assistance to sex workers. She loves sunshine, adrenaline and a great story.
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David Washburn
KPBS Investigations/Digital Fellowship Editor -
David is KPBS' Investigations Editor since 2019, with 25 years of experience in investigative and explanatory news. He has won awards for stories on officer-involved shootings, Iraq' s contractor corruption, and misuse of funds at the Red Cross. David has also worked with Voice of San Diego, Voice of OC, and EdSource. He holds a B.A. from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has previously worked for Dateline NBC.
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Emily Jankowski
Sound Designer -
Emily Jankowski is a sound designer based in Boston. Previously, Emily was director of sound design for the cross-border podcast Port of Entry for KPBS in San Diego. Emily was first introduced to Boston in 2019 when Port of Entry was selected for PRX’s Project Catapult, a podcast accelerator and training program for public media stations. Before designing for podcasts, Emily was radio operations assistant at KPBS. She holds a MFA in Sound Design for Theatre from UC San Diego, and a BFA from UC San Diego in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, Music.
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Elizabeth Hames
Podcast Growth Producer -
Liz spent more than a decade working in newsrooms across Canada before moving into podcasting. Today, she works with clients to help them develop, produce and grow their podcasts.
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Linda Davis
KPBS Digital Fellowship Project Coordinator -
Linda Davis is the digital fellowship project coordinator at KPBS. She oversees all aspects of the projects being completed by KPBS journalists for the fellowship. Her previous experience includes roles as a creative project manager and multimedia producer, and as a TV segment creator, producer and on-air presenter. Linda is originally from Chicago and holds a Bachelor of Arts in education and communication from Arizona State University.
Resources
Suicide Prevention Resources in San Diego County
If you are outside of San Diego County phone numbers:
Suicide Prevention:
- Call or text 9-8-8 for help
Domestic Violence Help and Resources:
- 1-800-799-7233
- Or text START to 88788
