A neighbor found Virginia Perillo lying on the floor of her garage in the Bridgeport neighborhood Saturday night. Police are looking into the possibility she was the victim of an attempted robbery.
Perillo worked as a nurse saving lives for 40 years.
"My opinion: I just think someone seen her coming in at night and followed her into the garage," said Raleigh March, Bridgeport resident.
"I feel so sad. I mean it could have been one of us, one of our relatives," said Dee Dee Cozzi, Bridgeport resident.
Police have launched a homicide investigation. They say Perillo had been hit over the head, her body left between two cars.
Co-workers became concerned when Perillo didn't show up for her shift at Rush University Medical Center.
"One of the things I know about Vergie through after all these years is that she's never late. I knew there was something not right," said Rush nursing unit director Cris Lowry, who worked with Perillo for the past 40 years.
"She had the compassion to want to take care of patients. She loved bedside nursing. She loved treating patients as though they were her family," said Lowry.
The apparent murder happened just a few blocks from US Cellular Field in the Bridgeport neighborhood -- a community neighbors' say the Perillo's called home for at least the last 25 years.
"This could happen in any community in Chicago, but this is just a tragedy, it's just tragic," said Larry Menaker, Bridgeport resident.
Police do not any have any suspects in custody.
Neighbors say Perillo is survived by her husband and three adult sons. Her husband is hospitalized with a previous, unrelated ailment.
