Woman, 71, Injured In Home Invasion, Granddaughter’s Ashes Stolen

November 2, 2011

A 71-year old Cantonment woman is recovering after being attacked in an early morning home invasion robbery in which the thief stole her granddaughter’s ashes.

An unknown white male suspect busted in to the woman’s home on Bowling Green Way about 4 a.m. Tuesday where the woman was asleep. She told deputies she awoke to a loud noise coming from her front door. She said she yelled out for the intruder to leave while locking herself in her bedroom. The suspect then forced his way into her bedroom and struck the woman on the head and demanded her purse.

She told him that she did not carry a purse, and the suspect told the victim that he had a gun, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office offense report. The victim told the man that she had some money on her dresser. The man took an undisclosed amount of jewelry and money before fleeing.

The woman said that the ashes of her late granddaughter were inside one of the jewelry boxes taken by the suspect.

The victim described the suspect as a tall and skinny white male. She was unable to see the man’s face because he covered it with a shirt and his hoodie.

The 71-year old woman was treated at the scene by Escambia County EMS for lacerations and bruises on her hands that she apparently received while trying to protect her head from the assailant.

A K-9 search for the suspect turned up empty.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

Comments

11 Responses to “Woman, 71, Injured In Home Invasion, Granddaughter’s Ashes Stolen”

  1. oldarmybrat on November 7th, 2011 3:35 pm

    What a shame a person cannot be safe in their own home anymore. Life in prison without the possibility of parole.
    Keep my shotgun by my rocker, just in case.

  2. George on November 3rd, 2011 9:42 am

    Only a coward would hit an old lady in the head, why doesn’t he pick on someone
    who can fight back? When you catch this guy just announce who he is and where
    he lives and that will be that.

  3. B.Bunny on November 2nd, 2011 6:38 pm

    Save the tax payers some hard earned money and shoot at center mass!

  4. Devastating Dave on November 2nd, 2011 1:06 pm

    Firing to take out a knee is terrible advice (and will probably open oneself up to legal action if you are able to pull it off). Shoot to kill at the center of mass.

  5. Jeff on November 2nd, 2011 12:13 pm

    Negative on shooting knees. Self-defense experts say to continue to fire center mass until the threat is eliminated.

  6. REF on November 2nd, 2011 12:12 pm

    Forget the knees just take the head off of some low life like this he’s no good for anything to do something like this anyways!!! Don’t worry about calling police call the morgue an make reservations !!

  7. shan529 on November 2nd, 2011 11:56 am

    I think any person that is convicted of a home invasion should automatically get life in prison with no possibility of parole. What an awful crime. And to attack a 71 year old woman….only a horrible and coward human being could do this. I know luckily she will recover from her injuries, but mentally she will never feel safe in her own home again. Just sad.

  8. North Escambia Resident on November 2nd, 2011 9:51 am

    Good advice Jane…

    Keep the gun the closest, fire to take out a knee (or BOTH, can not flee like that) and then sound the car alarm while calling 911…Oh, and do not take the gun off the person until law enforcement shows up! (just in case)

  9. uh?? on November 2nd, 2011 8:14 am

    Thats sad.what an idiot.

  10. 429SCJ on November 2nd, 2011 7:44 am

    Keep your side arm handy. Jane is right about the car alarm on those keys, honk the horn. I wish that lady could have sent a load of 00 buckshot through that door.

  11. Jane on November 2nd, 2011 5:07 am

    Always keep your cell phone with you where you can reach it to call for help! Keep your phone, car keys, and gun within reach at night…one of them just might prevent something like this!