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Autopsy Reveals 79-Year-Old Riverside Woman Met With Foul Play

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — Autopsy results reveal that a 79-year-old Riverside woman found dead in her home met with foul play.

Wanda Rose Heczko was found dead by Riverside Police officers about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday after they were asked to make a welfare check by tenants -- she rented out rooms -- who became concerned.

Heczko lived in a single-story residence in the 11400 block of Doverwood Drive.

Riverside Police Sgt. David Amador said homicide detectives were called to the home after "evidence in the residence indicated that Ms. Heczko was assaulted."

Serene Branson, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, said the victim was an active Adventist church member and tenants can't understand who would want to hurt her.

Susana Elflores, who rented a room in the woman's home for the past two years, said "She was always out, picking up newspapers or taking the trash out. She would make sure everyone got their mail."

She adds, "It's not a good feeling. This is a very quiet neighborhood. Very quiet. You wouldn't think anything would happen here."

Tenants told police they didn't hear anything unusual and they never heard the woman's dogs bark.

Branson says Riverside police have placed an information hold on the case -- so they wouldn't say if anything was taken or if there was any forced entry. Branson also spoke to Heczko's daughter but she was too distraught to speak on camera.

Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Ron Sanfilippo at  (951) 353-7105.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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