UPDATE: Police have identified the victim as Phyllis Jean Phares, 82 of 1316 Frame St.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  An elderly woman was found dead in her home on Frame Street on Charleston's West Side Sunday evening, and Charleston Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

At a 10 p.m. news conference, Charleston Police Sgt. Steve Cooper said that the woman, whose name is not being released, was reported dead shortly after 6 p.m.

Not all of the woman's family had been notified at press time Sunday, Cooper said.

"We have all of our detectives working this case," he said.

After 9:30 p.m. Sunday, a boy who appeared to be a teen-ager left crying after police had interviewed him. A man who identified himself as the boy's brother said they lived across the street from the woman, who was friendly and talked with anyone who she passed. According to the man, the woman often talked about her deceased husband and family.

Cooper said police have interviewed several witnesses, but not necessarily eyewitnesses, who may have information as to what happened.

Cooper declined to speculate on the death, motive, cause of death or time of death. Of the latter, he said city police want to speak with the state Medical Examiner's office before an approximate time of death is released.

Cooper said he is not sure that the woman lived alone all the time, but said there is no reason to believe the suspected homicide is domestic in nature.

With Sunday's discovery, Charleston Police investigated a second apparent homicide in as many days. Police said Rhonda Kay Stewart, 53, of Elkview walked into her estranged husband's room at CAMC Memorial Hospital with a handgun Saturday and shot him in the head sometime before 2 p.m.

Sammy Lee Stewart was pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m., Charleston Police Detective Autumn Davis said Saturday.     

@tag:Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  An elderly woman was found dead in her home on Frame Street on Charleston's West Side Sunday evening, and Charleston Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

At a 10 p.m. news conference, Charleston Police Sgt. Steve Cooper said that the woman, whose name is not being released, was reported dead shortly after 6 p.m.

Not all of the woman's family had been notified at press time Sunday, Cooper said.

"We have all of our detectives working this case," he said.

After 9:30 p.m. Sunday, a boy who appeared to be a teen-ager left crying after police had interviewed him. A man who identified himself as the boy's brother said they lived across the street from the woman, who was friendly and talked with anyone who she passed. According to the man, the woman often talked about her deceased husband and family.

Cooper said police have interviewed several witnesses, but not necessarily eyewitnesses, who may have information as to what happened.

Cooper declined to speculate on the death, motive, cause of death or time of death. Of the latter, he said city police want to speak with the state Medical Examiner's office before an approximate time of death is released.

Cooper said he is not sure that the woman lived alone all the time, but said there is no reason to believe the suspected homicide is domestic in nature.

With Sunday's discovery, Charleston Police investigated a second apparent homicide in as many days. Police said Rhonda Kay Stewart, 53, of Elkview walked into her estranged husband's room at CAMC Memorial Hospital with a handgun Saturday and shot him in the head sometime before 2 p.m.

Sammy Lee Stewart was pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m., Charleston Police Detective Autumn Davis said Saturday.     

@tag:Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.