Blood traces found inside Charlotte insurance office

Charlotte, N.C. — The insurance agency owner charged in the death of a state examiner initially consented to a search of his office and car but withdrew after police found areas on carpet and a computer cord that tested positive for blood.

Also, according to a search warrant released Tuesday, investigators seized the carpet, pornography, customer files and other items from Dilworth Insurance Agency in Charlotte.

The warrant, issued May 19, states Michael Arthur Howell told police he last saw Sallie Rohrbach leaving the agency at approximately 4 p.m. on May 14. Police found her body May 21 in a wooded area in Fort Mill, S.C., 25 miles from the insurance agency.

Rohrbach, 44, was in Charlotte the week prior auditing Howell's company. When she did not show up for work, she was reported missing.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have said Rohrbach's death is connected to her duties as an auditor and that evidence in her car and Howell's vehicle connected him to the homicide.

They have not released further details about the case, but sources within the police department have told CBS affiliate WBTV that Rohrbach died from blunt force trauma and that the slaying occurred inside Howell's office.

Rohrbach was buried Sunday.

In the wake of her death, the Department of Insurance is looking at its existing policies to determine if any of them need to be changed, spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said.

“We will honor her by making sure that whatever we do from here on out gives our employees the confidence and peace of mind to continue their work and the work that Sallie was doing,” she said.