Police treating retired school teacher's death as homicide

Police are treating the death of retired school teacher Judith Harris as a homicide. A police source close to the investigation said they have not identified any suspects but described the investigation as being in its "infancy stages."

A neighbour of Harris called the police on March 12 after a foul stench coming from her home.

Officers visited the house around 3.30 pm on the same day, where they also noted the foul odour and saw flies near a back bedroom.

Officers reported the "house was secured" and after forcing open the front door, they went to a back bedroom where they found Harris's body.

She was in a state of decomposition, lying on her stomach, wearing a yellow and pink flowered nightwear. Her right hand was inside a red brick and another brick was near her stomach.

Additionally, a wooden chair with clothing laid on her head and there was a plastic chair with clothing over her legs.

The room appeared to be ransacked.

Newsday visited Harris's home on Pamphill Avenue in Malabar on March 13, where her neighbours expressed anger at what they called a senseless crime.

The yellow caution tape left by police and damage to the home's front security door, likely caused by officers, were the only signs of the horror that unfolded inside.

Harris lived in the area for over 30 years. A neighbour, who preferred not to be named, said Harris had few visitors and was known for her quiet routine.

Her picturesque backyard, full of flowers, faces the busy Malabar Extension Road.

The curtains in her back bedroom, where she was allegedly found, were tucked in the louvres, providing passersby a clear view into it. The room measured roughly 15 feet by 10 feet.

Residents of Extension Road were shocked by the news of Harris's death. One woman said Harris had often given her money for her children, while another recalled Harris had taught her niece and nephew.