Police in New York City are investigating the suspected murder of a 76-year-old woman who was found dead in her Chinatown apartment beside a bloodied skateboard.
Discovery of the Victim
Zhu Hou was discovered deceased in her apartment on Monroe Street within the Knickerbocker Village complex just before 8pm on Friday. Officers and paramedics responding to a 911 call found the elderly woman with what the NYPD described as 'trauma to the head and body'.
Her official cause of death has not yet been confirmed by the medical examiner, but authorities are treating the case as a homicide. No arrests have been made at this stage.
Son of Victim a Person of Interest
According to reports, the 911 call that alerted police was made by Hou's own son. The New York Post, citing police sources, stated that investigators believe the son may be responsible for the killing.
The son, who has not been publicly named, is reported to have a history of mental illness. Neighbours described him as 'always off' but added they did not previously consider him dangerous until the events of Friday.
Residents also reported hearing shouting coming from Hou's apartment the day before she was found, with the noise continuing through the night into Friday morning.
Police Investigation Underway
Photographs from the scene on Friday night showed NYPD officers conducting a thorough search of the Knickerbocker Village apartment block. Officers were seen removing bags of potential evidence, while paramedics wheeled out a stretcher carrying what appeared to be a body bag.
Knickerbocker Village is a government-subsidised housing complex located on the border of Chinatown and Manhattan's Lower East Side.
One anonymous neighbour, while shocked by the event, expressed confidence in the police, stating, 'I'm not scared. They'll catch them. There are cameras all over the buildings.'
Second Death in the Area
This incident follows the recent death of actor Peter Greene, known for roles in Pulp Fiction and The Mask, who was found dead in his Lower East Side apartment on 12th December.
Police pronounced the 60-year-old dead at the scene after a welfare check. The medical examiner is still determining his cause of death, with sources indicating a handwritten note was discovered in the apartment.
