The death of a 93-year-old woman who was found lying at the bottom of the stairs inside her Stamford home has a neighborhood on edge.

Neighbors say Isabella Mehner was an avid and friendly woman who took pride in her garden.

Mehner was found dead at the bottom of a staircase leading into her basement Wednesday at 565 Cove Road.

However, once officers and the medical examiner arrived to the scene they determined that her injuries were not consistent with a fall down the stairs. It is the city’s second reported homicide in the past day.

Police say they are investigating the case as a homicide, and that family members also reported several items missing from the home.

Mehner lived alone at her single-family home, family members became concerned when they could not reach her by phone throughout the afternoon and decided to go and check on her.

Neighbors say Mehner was a very active 93-year-old who loved to garden. Police say she was last seen gardening at 1:40 p.m. on Wednesday, but at 6 p.m. when her family called to check up on her, she did not answer.

 

Police say they are stepping up officer patrols in the area, and say they are reviewing surveillance video from the neighborhood.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Stamford Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations at (203) 977-4420.