75-year-old woman is victim of homicide, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A 75-year-old Fresno woman has died and Fresno police say she was the victim of a homicide.

Friends say Mary Brown was often seen outside with her dog and her death has stunned many longtime neighbors.

Mary Brown was a friendly face on the block where she's lived for more than 40 years. Fresno police were called to her home three weeks ago to find she had been terribly assaulted.

Neighbors say Mary Brown was often seen watering her plants out front or pulling out of her driveway headed to church and she always waved and greeted neighbors by name.

Longtime neighbor, Anthony Mendoza said, "I feel that she would have done anything for anybody if you just asked. She was that type of person."

"She seemed very healthy and I wasn't too sure about the details about what happened but I took it pretty hard," neighbor Fernando Rodriguez said.

On November 21st Fresno police officers were called to Mary's home in Central Fresno around four in the afternoon. Her housekeeper found her seriously injured and unable to call for help on her own. After a week in the hospital, Mary died of blunt force trauma to the upper body.

Detectives believe she suffered a brutal beating at the hands of someone she knew.

Lt. David Madrigal of the Fresno Police Department said, "The suspect and the victim, in this case, are close acquaintances."

Investigators will not say who they are questioning in her death but officers have recovered a murder weapon from the scene. Neighbors say her murder was such a sad ending especially since her husband also died within the past year.

By all accounts, Mary was an upstanding woman who was well liked and respected. The last one many friends expected would fall victim to violence.

Detectives say the suspect they are questioning is being housed in a facility where he is being monitored but no arrests have been made. Police are not releasing a motive at this time.