80-year-old woman brutally murdered inside Philadelphia home; gunman at large

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are asking for the public's help in connection with the murder of an 80-year-old woman.

Police say Rose Goodman was gunned down around 9:49 p.m. while inside her Southwest Philadelphia home on September 7.

Goodman's family says she was a loving mom, grandmother, and active member of her church.

"She loved the children of the community as much as she loved us," said her son Devin Goodman.

She was the matriarch of both her family and the neighborhood.

"When an 80-year-old woman --who did nothing but love her family friends and the community her entire life -- is brutally murdered in her home, we as a society cannot and should not accept this," said Philadelphia Police Lieutenant Hamilton Marshmond during a press conference on Friday.

Authorities say the suspect gained access to the home on the 5700 block of Broomall Street through a basement window.

Goodman was shot one time in the chest and later died.

Police responded after family members requested a welfare check. Goodman's son said, as usual, he had talked to his mom earlier in the day.

"We'd call to check up on her and she would always ask back, 'How are you doing? How are the kids? How's everybody?'" he said.

Devin added that when she wasn't answering that evening, he knew something was wrong.

No arrests have been made in the case and police don't believe anything was taken from the home.

Marshmond says he will not rest until the killer is brought to justice.

"I want the coward who took Miss Rose Goodman away from her family and friends to know your life will never be the same. You will never have a good night's sleep. You will look over your shoulder constantly because you will not know when the day will come when we will be outside your home," he said.

As police plead for help and for the killer to come forward, Goodman's son has been laying flowers on her lawn for the last week. He says he wants her legacy of love to live on.

"It takes a village, like they say, and that's what this was. My mom was proud to be part of that," he said.

Anyone with information on this murder is asked to call 215-686-TIPS.