Edna Pierre-Jacques, NYC grandmother, found beaten, strangled in home

NEW YORK -- Police say a 78-year-old grandmother was beaten and strangled to death in her New York City apartment Monday, according to news reports.

Edna Pierre-Jacques was found lying in a pool of blood with a head trauma, a head of a hammer broken off the handle nearby, sources told CBS New York. Authorities initially believed she was beaten to death, but an autopsy revealed she was strangled, reports local news site DNAinfo.

Pierre-Jacques’ daughter and granddaughter found her body around 10 p.m. after seeing her unharmed just hours before. She reportedly lived in the Brooklyn home with her estranged husband. 

The woman reportedly had four grown children. Police have questioned the man and her other family members, but have not made any arrests.

NYPD chief of detectives Robert Boyce said there are no eyewitnesses to the murder, so investigators are relying on forensics, according to DNAinfo.

“Right now, [the husband] is the only one in the house, so not to [consider him a suspect] would be foolish, but again, we’re waiting for the forensics to come back to build our case,” Boyce said.

Neighbors were shocked at the death.

“Friendly, very friendly. I was very sad to hear what happened yesterday. She’s a nice person,” neighbor Greg Reeves told CBS New York.