By Bryan Schwartzman
An 85-year-old woman died in her Jamaica home last Thursday in what was originally thought to be an accident but was later ruled a homicide, police said.
Guillerma Stodomingo was found dead shortly before noon by police at the foot of her staircase with a cut on her head, said Cadet John Buthorn, a police spokesman. Neighbors said police believed that Stodomingo had fallen down her staircase.
But Friday the medical examiner ruled Gullerma's death a homicide.
“The cause of death was a blunt impact of the head, including laceration, contusion and skull fractures,” said Megan Cuccia, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office.
Police believe she may have been killed during a robbery, but they have not made any arrests, Buthorn said. He did not know if any items were missing from the home, but detectives reportedly found a purse belonging to the woman in a garbage can outside her home.
Stodomingo lived in a two-floor attached house one block south of Hillside Avenue. Her neighbors said she was originally from the Philippines and was an energetic woman who enjoyed good health.
“She is my best friend,” said a distraught Lucila Paijardo, who lives one block west of Stodomingo.
Paijardo lives with her children and grandchildren in a large corner house shared by several Filipino families. She said Stodomingo had a daughter who lives in Queens, but had not seen her since Stodomingo was killed.
“I don't know where her daughter is,” she said. “I do not know what happened to her.”
Stodomingo's next-door neighbor, who identified himself only as Barry, said she had been planning to move soon but he did not know where or when. The house reportedly has been up for sale and is owned by Stodomingo's nephew.
“She was a nice old lady,” Barry said. “Every time I saw her she said hello.”
But Roosevelt Coleman, who lives in the apartment building across the street, said Stodomingo mostly kept to herself.
“She didn't mess with nobody on this block,” Coleman said.
This was the 10th murder this year within the 103rd Police Precinct.
