An employee of the Ramada Inn at 940 Lombard Street had the misfortune of discovering the body of Colleen Waterman, 47, of Riverside County in one the hotel’s rooms on Feb. 8. Preliminary reports said that the woman’s throat had been slashed, but police would not confirm this.

“We’re treating this as a suspicious death, pending the official report from the medical examiner,” said Capt. Ann Mannix of Northern Station. “To say anything else right now would just be speculation.”

Colleen Waterman and her husband, Billy Waterman, 51, had been reported missing days earlier in Riverside County. Although Billy was initially described as “a person of interest,” police say it is unclear how Colleen died or who may or may not have been involved in her death.

San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies found the couple’s 1998 Chevy SUV parked along Highway 1 near Devil’s Slide. A search of the area produced no trace of the husband.

“We don’t know what happened,” said Capt. Mannix. “He could have run away, but we have no way of knowing right now.”

Billy Waterman is described by police as a white male, 6 feet tall, weighing 160 pounds, with blue eyes and red or balding hair.

Neighborhood nerves were further rattled by two holdups in early February.

Police have already arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of robbing the Comerica Bank at 2001 Union Street on Feb. 7. Officers said Lawrence Swick produced a note from a pizza box he was carrying and handed it to the teller. The message: Put cash in the pizza box. The teller complied. The suspect dumped the box and fled on foot. The box, with the note, was later collected as evidence.

Swick was apparently known to police in the Tenderloin. Officers combed the neighborhood with Swick’s picture. He was eventually apprehended in his room in a residential hotel, and taken into custody.

The SFPD is still investigating an armed robbery at the Williams-Sonoma store on Chestnut Street on the evening of Feb. 15. Police say a man entered the store around 7:30 p.m., produced a gun, and demanded money. The amount stolen was not disclosed. Employees were told by the corporate managers not to discuss the incident.

Merchants in the area were surprised by the robbery.

“I have no idea why anyone would target a Williams-Sonoma store,” remarked a local business operator who asked not to be identified.

“Robbers go where the money is,” said Captain Mannix. “This suspect has been all over town, robbing all sorts of businesses. We think the same suspect has hit six stores, including a pet food shop in the Mission District. The department is actively looking for him [as] part of a citywide search.”

The description of the suspect is not very good. He is described as an African-American who could be anywhere between 25 and 40 years of age, 5-foot-6 to 6-foot-3 tall, and weighing anywhere between 180 and 230 pounds.

The Williams-Sonoma store has no surveillance cameras.

“It’s likely he stakes out the business first, and makes his move just before closing time,” Captain Mannix said. “He wears gloves and gets away on foot. He knows what he’s doing.”

The SFPD’s anonymous tip line is 415-575-4444. You can Text-A-Tip (also anonymous) to TIP411 or 847411 with the keyword “SFPD” in the text field.