The body of Barbara Wilson was found Sunday on her bedroom floor in Mount Arlington. Her death has prompted a warning for neighbors.
"Forced entry was made into the location, and the 77-year-old female was found in a lifeless condition inside of a bedroom on the ground," Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said.
Investigators were at Wilson's bright yellow trailer all day Monday, gathering evidence and looking for any clues that might lead to the person who apparently beat her to death. Greg Stiglian knew Wilson for years.
"For someone like that, who was just the nicest lady, never hurt anybody," he said. "She lived along, but she was active and did a lot of different things."
Police tape surrounds her home and part of the town's municipal building. Wilson lived right next door to it, along Howard Boulevard, which is the main road through the town, off Lake Hopatcong.
"This is a unique situation," neighbor Gene Zega said. "You don't see this. And people have kids running around here. I mean, it's a very friendly community."
Wth no suspect in their sights, police have been going house to house, asking neighbors if perhaps any strangers had been canvassing the area recently.
"In the past week in Mount Arlington, if they have seen any individuals that are not known to be from that particular area, or if they've seen individuals going door to door for any reason," Bianchi said.
The murder investigation is prompting a warning from police for residents to be wary of individuals offering any door-to-door services.
Wilson attended Mt. Fern United Methodist Church in Randolph for nearly 30 years. It's where she was married, where her husband's ashes are buried and where everyone loved her, one member said.
Anyone with information can contact the Mount Arlington Police Department at 973-398-2100, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office at 973-285-2900 or the Morris Sheriff's Office Crime Stoppers Program at 973-COPCALL.
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