Jun 17, 2008 5:17 pm US/Central
Elderly Woman Found Dead In Basement Was Strangled
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Dorothy Brown Taylor, 71, and her dog, were found apparently beaten to death in this apartment building in the South Shore neighborhood.
CBS
An autopsy Tuesday reveals the elderly woman who was found dead, along with her dog, in a South Shore apartment building, died from strangulation.
Police say Dorothy Taylor and her mixed-breed poodle Frisky were left for dead yesterday in the basement of their building at 7232 S. Coles Ave. at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
Just an hour and a half before that, Taylor was seen walking her dog in the neighborhood, as she did every day.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports that the 71-year-old South Shore resident, Dorothy Brown Taylor, had no enemies.
Now there is a $1,000 reward for any information leading to a killer who struck close to home and took someone they cared about.
"If you picked the sweetest, most kindest person, that would be Dorothy," said Derek Lennon, family friend.
Neighbors called Taylor a lovely person.
"She was a nice lady; she never did any harm to anybody as far as I'm concerned," said neighbor Renee Dixon. "She was nice to me and my 4-year-old son. But for someone to do this to her, it's outrageous in the extreme."
"We loved her dearly," said nephew Rodney Parham. "She was a cornerstone of the family."
Her nephew wonders why anyone would harm his aunt, let alone kill her.
The investigation into her death began yesterday around noon when Dorothy's landlord called for help after finding her.
"He went to locate her and upon trying to locate her, he went to her apartment first, and later found her in the basement," said Eddie Welch of the Chicago Police Department.
Police say both she and her dog were victims of blunt trauma to the head. Investigators did not explain why Dorothy and her pet were in the basement unit.
Police First Deputy James Jackson at a news briefing asked people to look out for seniors in the neighborhood. He also said seniors can often be especially vulnerable, and police have offered cautionary tips.
"A heinous violence act against the innocent senior citizens of our community is unacceptable," Jackson said. "They are our most vulnerable citizens."
To keep residents --old and young --safe -- officers have been canvassing the area -- hoping to uncover any detail that might lead them to a suspect who they want to get off the streets.
"Whoever did it, I hope they get caught and get justice to them," said neighbor Carlos Grear. "I really do."
"One random act of violence touches off a whole lot of, you hurt a whole lot of people," nephew Rodney Parham said. "You're doing something to one person, but you're destroying the whole family."
Police believe a sharp weapon was responsible for the blunt trauma. The medical examiner's office says strangulation was actually the cause of death. Police are not elaborating on a motive, but they say there was no forced entry, which is one reason they are warning senior citizens to be on their guard.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call Calumet Area Detectives at (312) 747-8272.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum, CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman, and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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