Sons of 85-year-old woman found murdered in East Mt. Airy speak out

EAST MT. AIRY (WPVI) -- On Monday, 85-year-old Regina Brunner-Holmes was found dead inside her East Mt. Airy home.

She was found badly beaten, with her throat slashed.

Her car was gone but was discovered a day later in North Philadelphia. Detectives believe robbery was the motive.

Her death is a complete 180 from the life she led.

"The people who murdered my mom treated an 85-year-old frail woman like she was a sack of beans and manhandled her body like she was an inanimate object," said Adam Brunner, victim's son.

"Everything she did in life, she did to help other people - that's just who she was and what she wanted to do with life," said Eric Brunner, victim's son.

Brunner-Holmes' two sons sat down with Action News, opening up because they want to find their mother's killer.

They also want to bring awareness to crimes against the elderly, who are often targeted for being too trusting.

The victim's sons say they forgive whoever did this to their mother.

"We feel sorry for the people. Something must've happened to make their heart so cold but they need to be captured because they're going to do it to somebody else," said Adam.

In her 80s, Brunner-Holmes showed no signs of slowing down.

She still worked out and was an editor at a local paper. Her whole life, she looked out for the underdog and participated in the Civil Rights Movement.

Now her sons hope that someone will look out for her and come forward with information.

"They took her death meaning how she left but they didn't take her life away and that's what we want to concentrate on," said Eric.

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