Woman stabbed to death in her home

LA MARQUE, TX

A teen who used to live in the neighborhood has been questioned in connection with the crime. The 84-year-old was found dead Sunday afternoon in her home on Prune Street and 10th Ave.

Family members checked on Vaneeda Wright every day. Yesterday they found her dead in her bedroom. Police have a person of interest in custody while neighbors and relatives can't believe anyone would hurt her.

Prune Street has always been a family-oriented neighborhood. Tonight it's not the same place.

"I don't know why somebody would do this," said Det. Sgt. Shawn Spruil of the La Marque Police Department.

Vaneeda Wright called this place home for more than 60 years while she had children and grandchildren of her own. Many here saw her as their grandmother too.

Wright's daughter says her mother went to church every Sunday and still enjoyed a good game of bowling. She says she talked to her on the phone around two o'clock yesterday afternoon, and found her dead at home two hours later.

"There appeared to be no signs of a struggle but one of the rooms was definitely ransacked," said Det. Sgt. Spruil.

La Marque detectives believe the 84-year-old was stabbed to death by someone she knew. There was no forced entry and neighbors say she would never open the door to a stranger.

Today, relatives of a La Marque teenager brought him to the police department to start talking.

"It's a juvenile that was seen over at the victim's property. We are interviewing him right now," said Det. Sgt. Spruil.

Investigators say this person of interest is being cooperative, but a motive is not clear. They are working with relatives to see if anything might be missing from the home.

"Stuff was gone through," said Det. Sgt. Spruil.

Even with these developments, those who live on Prune Street say they are nervous tonight, and trying to understand how anyone could hurt the sweet neighbor they loved.

If you have any information on this crime, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 409-938-8477.

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