Suspect arrested in woman's death

A South Lake Tahoe man was arrested Monday in connection with the death of 19-year-old Melissa Hanson.

Charles Newport, 19, is in the South Lake Tahoe Jail and will receive "some sort of homicide-related charge," said Detective Martin Hewlett of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

"Currently, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department has one suspect in custody concerning the death of Melissa Hanson," Hewlett said. "Right now, I am writing search warrants for various locations that hopefully will uncover additional evidence."

Hanson's body was found in her bedroom closet Saturday morning at the 800 block of Clement Street.

Hanson, who was also known as Melissa Monoogan, did not respond to her mother's knock on her bedroom door at 6 a.m. Around 6:35 a.m. her mother entered the room and found her in the closet not breathing, police said.

Investigators are awaiting autopsy results from the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.

Kim Payne, a close friend of Hanson, said she saw Hanson on Friday and has no idea what caused her death.

"I'm wondering what happened," said Payne. "I took her to work (Friday). She was my best friend."