Police locate car belonging to woman who was brutally murdered in East Mt. Airy

EAST MT. AIRY (WPVI) -- Homicide detectives are working leads after officers discovered a car belonging to a woman who was found brutally murdered inside her East Mt. Airy home.

Tuesday morning, officers on patrol discovered 85-year-old Regina Brunner-Holmes stolen Toyota Corolla in the 3100 Block of North Stillman Street in North Philadelphia.

The area was immediately cordoned off, and then the car towed. It will be carefully checked for evidence such as fingerprints, DNA, and blood as detectives work to find clues as to who murdered Brunner-Holmes inside her home on a quiet, well-maintained block in East Mount Airy.

A vigil was held Tuesday night amid the gloomy weather. Loved ones and strangers alike gathered for Regina Brunner-Holmes.

Eugene Allen knew Brunner-Holmes because, like him, she was very active with community organizations.

Albert says, "Who would think they would come and do something to a woman that was not selfish in her living - believed that she could help and tried to help everybody. For something like this to happen to her."

The crime scene unit had been out to the home in the 300 block of Roumfort Road earlier in the day chopping down the grass and shrubs looking for clues.

Brunner-Holmes' son last spoke with her Saturday around 8 pm. Investigators believe her killer entered the home sometime early Sunday morning.

She was discovered Monday morning after neighbors called police, concerned that they hadn't seen her and her car was missing.

Brunner-Holmes was found in her bedroom badly beaten with her throat slashed.

The home did not appear to have been ransacked and there were no signs of forced entry.

Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark says, "After a 24 hour period, and talking with the detectives, it does appear that the motive was robbery. Several things were missing from the residence. I don't want to speak about what they are but we know several things are missing. So right now we are categorizing it as a robbery."

Brunner-Holmes had an 87-year-old friend living with her, but he was recently placed in a rehab facility and wasn't home.

As with all murders here in Philadelphia, there is a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.