The death of a woman found inside of a home in Bristol on Christmas morning has been declared a homicide.
According to Bristol Police Detective Sergeant Tim O'Brien, investigators had initially responded to a home on Morningside Drive around 11:30 a.m. to conduct a welfare check.
At the home, they said they found 83-year-old Diana Jones inside of a bedroom. She was pronounced dead.
Police originally said Jones' death appeared to be suspicious. It has since been declared a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
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The OCME said Jones died of incised wounds to her neck and blunt force trauma to her torso.
People in the neighborhood said they were shocked to see the massive police presence on Christmas Day.
“[There were] six police cars, Bristol police cars there, and then as the day progressed, I counted about 12,” said neighbor Jeff Jurczyk. “It’s a little alarming that this all happened in a quiet neighborhood such as this.”
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Those who knew Jones are not only shocked to hear that their kind, friendly neighbor was killed, but how.
“[She] did no harm to anybody,” said Jurczyk. “This is kind of heart-wrenching to see a loving, caring, innocent elderly woman have to be taken out of society in this way.”
Jurczyk said he was always greeted by Jones when he’d walk past her home to walk his dog.
“She would go and get dog treats and give it to him,” he recalled. “It was very, very heartbreaking to find out what happened.”
Neighbors also said Jones lost her husband in the last year.
“Very, very lovely family. She lived there by herself, and I guess her grandson,” said Jurczyk. “From what I saw there was never any indication of any wrongdoing or anything until Christmas Day when this all took place. It was very, very shocking to say the most.”
With no word yet on a suspect or person(s) of interest, they’re now feeling unsettled.
“I’m just hoping whoever did it they catch,” said neighbor Anne Marie Kilbert. “It’s shocking for this neighborhood really, to have something happen here.”
Anyone with any information related to Jones' death is asked to contact Bristol Police Detective Morytko at 860-314-4564.
