Police Continue Search For Suspect In Brutal Murder Of 81-Year-Old Woman
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police have released surveillance video of what they're calling a "person of interest" in the murder of an elderly woman.
Rosary beads hang on the gate outside Lucila Cardenas-Viejo's home on Lexington Avenue in Jersey City. The display is a memorial to the 81-year-old woman brutally murdered on Feb. 7.
"They're no words to describe the atrocity that occured," one man told CBS2's Meg Baker.
A black and white surveillance video, taken at 10 p.m., shows a man in light clothing approaching the front door with something covering his face.
"Someone had to of seen him. What we really need is someone in neighborhood... would have seen him, know something, will help us to solve this," Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
Police found the elderly woman on her living room floor with multiple stab wounds around 10:30 a.m.
"I'm very scared, you know," Mary, a friend of the victim, told CBS2.
Neighbors say the area is normally a quiet block, but after hearing the news residents said you just never know when danger might come knocking at your door.
The victim, known to friends as Lucy, would go to church at St. Aloysius every day,
"She used to help everybody. If someone was sick, she would go to their house and pray with people from church. No words to describe this," Mary said.
Elizabeth Hurley has lived across the street since the 80s and wonders if the attack was random.
"I always look out the window and peep and I never stand in front of the door, always ask 'who is it?' and if I don't know you, I'm not opening up no door," Hurley said.
Authorities are hoping someone recognizes the person of interest in the case. In addition to looking for the killer, police said they are also looking for a motive.
