68-year-old Ellen Walton was found at the bottom of the steps, in a pool of blood, inside her home in the 6300 block of Magnolia Street.
It was just after 1:00 a.m. Monday when police were called out to Walton's home for reports of suspicious behavior taking place. Once there police found the screen window open and the inside of the house was ransacked.
Police say Walton appears to have died from head trauma after being beaten with a blunt object. On Monday night police said they believed they had the murder weapon and were checking it for evidence.
Adding to the suspicion, police had been called out to investigate an auto accident in the 1300 block of Yerkes Street around 12:30 a.m. There police had discovered Walton's vehicle, a 2005 Toyota Rav 4. It appeared to have been abandoned with a flat tire.
There are no reports of the vehicle being stolen at this time.
Police have no suspects in this case.
