Police expand team of investigators

Two state investigators who specialize in developing profiles of criminal suspects have joined the investigation into the slaying of Palo Alto music teacher Kristine Fitzhugh.

Palo Alto police made the announcement Thursday morning as their investigation at the family home on Escobita Avenue entered its seventh day. The investigators from the state Department of Justice joined Palo Alto police detectives, blood spatter experts from the San Jose Police Department, criminalists from the Santa Clara County Crime Lab and forensic medical examiners from the coroner's office in investigating the crime scene, Palo Alto police said.

Fitzhugh's body was found Friday at the foot of the basement stairs in her Southgate neighborhood house. Her death was originally classified as an accident but was reclassified Saturday after the coroner found that her head wounds could not have been suffered in a fall.

Investigators expect to keep the home in the Southgate neighborhood cordoned off until at least Friday, police said Thursday.

As the investigation continued, police prepared for a second community meeting Thursday evening to discuss the case. The meeting has been scheduled to give residents who could not attend Tuesday's daytime meeting a chance to speak with police.

Tonight's meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Palo Alto school district offices at 25 Churchill Ave.