Family of Vanessa Marcotte, jogger slain in Mass., speaks out for first time

PRINCETON, Mass. -- The family of a 27-year-old New York City woman who was killed while out running near her mother’s Massachusetts home is establishing a foundation in her name and renewing a call for the public’s help in solving the case.

Marcotte’s body was found Aug. 7 in a wooded area in Princeton.  

Vanessa Marcotte’s parents were present as the family’s first public statement was read Wednesday by her uncle, Steven Therrien, at a church in the central Massachusetts town of Princeton. Marcotte’s parents did not speak, but held a sign publicizing a state police tipline that read, “Justice for Vanessa.”

“It has been more than four months since Vanessa was taken from us,” Therrien said. “Not a day goes by we don’t reflect on the enormity of our loss.”

Marcotte was an account manager for Google in New York City. Therrien described her as a “loving, caring, intelligent young woman who had her whole life ahead of her.”

“In her brief 27 years, she had already achieved much, but we know she had much more to do,” Therrien said.

Therrien said his niece embraced the spirit of volunteerism, and the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation will support causes that were important to her. He also announced the family had established a website, vanessamarcotte.org, through which they planned to share future updates on her case.

Investigators have received hundreds of tips but no suspects have been named. Police said last month they were looking for a dark-colored SUV seen parked in the area.

The family urged anyone with information to call the Massachusetts State Police tipline at 508-453-7589.