FAIRFAX, Ohio — Officials are asking the public's help to identify a suspect who broke into a Fairfax woman's home and killed her.
Sheila "Denise" Tenpenny, 64, was found dead in her home in the 3900 block of Germania Street at around noon Sunday.
"It's still hard to believe that it happened this close," neighbor Jonathon Boschert told WCPO Monday. "We know almost much every single person on the end of this street, she seemed to be a quiet person. It's a very tight-knit community where you know everybody."
Police said Tenpenny's death was suspicious in nature. According to a Fairfax police report, officers found what appeared to be blood on the bed where Tenpenny was found and on a tablet next to her, along with several bottles of cleaning supplies.
According to the police report, a man who told dispatchers he was the brother of 64-year-old Tenpenny called 911.
"She got her face covered with a pillow," the man said to dispatchers. "She did not respond when I yelled at her."
You can listen to more of the 911 call in the player below:
On the 911 call, the man who says he is Tenpenny's brother said he didn't see any weapons at the scene.
"I didn't see anything," the caller said. "The door was opened a couple [of] inches. She [doesn't] leave her door open."
Neighbors we talked to said the news of Tenpenny's death is jarring.
"I know of no crime of this magnitude ever happening Fairfax. I know there was some one-off little incident in the early 2000s but besides that, this is an extremely quiet area," Boschert said. "I hopefully think that you know, this was definitely not a random act of violence. Just given the neighborhood and everything."
Police asked the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCI) to assist in the investigation. The BCI said the man who did it was likely physically injured while committing the crime and may have visible cuts or bruises on his hands, wrists or forearms. He could also have facial injuries.
Fairfax Chief of Police Col. Jeffrey W Bronson said in a press release family, friends, neighbors and the entire Village of Fairfax are mourning Tenpenny's death as she was a long-time resident of the community.
Anyone with information or surveillance cameras near the crime scene is asked to call the BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO. Tips can also be submitted to the Attorney General's website here.
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