Neighbors In Shock After Slaying Of Castro Valley Widow
CASTRO VALLEY (CBS SF) -- A Castro Valley neighborhood was on edge Wednesday, the day after a widow's body is found inside her burned home.
Investigators on Wednesday were combing through the rubble looking for answers and a motive. Neighbors were still in shock over the homicide investigation on their usually quiet block.
"It just doesn't make any sense," said area resident Scott Parsons. "It really doesn't make any sense."
For the last day and a half, Parsons has watched investigators sift through his neighbor's fire damaged home.
"My questions of course are why?" asked Parsons.
On Tuesday, firefighters battling a blaze inside in the home stumbled on the body of the 59-year-old widow who had lived there for decades.
She stayed at the home even after her husband passed away earlier this year.
"And I hadn't really seen her since that time. I'm assuming [she was] grieving," said Parsons
Parsons said the couple was friendly and, while he hadn't seen the widow since her husband's passing, he also hadn't seen anything suspicious at the home.
He and others on Grove Way are wondering if she knew her killer or if her death was random act of brutal violence.
"Because that's something that just makes it more horrible, but also puts us in a state of fear," said Parsons.
Whatever the case, Alameda County sheriff's investigators say the murderer set a fire in the attic on purpose to cover up any evidence and moved the body in the garage.
Parsons said the widows two adult children are now left without their parents but with so many questions.
"The family came and I guess that's where they got the news of their mother's passing, because I saw their grief and it was heart wrenching," said Parson. "I felt for them. It was just heart wrenching and I'll never forget it."
The identity of the 59-year-old victim has not yet been released.