There were promises for a pumped up police presence as officers gathered outside the home of a 71-year-old woman. Someone strangled Dorothy Taylor and also killed her dog in the basement of the apartment building where she lived.
"My auntie is a very loving and caring person, both to her family and others. That's the way she was, the way she is and the way she'll always be where she is now," said Andre Parham, victim's nephew.
Taylor was loved like a grandmother by many in her South Shore neighborhood.
Her family says there were no signs of a break in. Police think the woman may have known her attacker, or at the very least, the person gained her trust.
"Wherever this person is, they should come forth. They can run, but they can't hide. Justice will be done," said Parham.
The local alderman would like to see a return to foot patrols as a way to reintegrate police into the community and rebuild the public's trust.
Outdoor police roll calls have become common after high profile crimes. Whether they do much to actually deter crime is unclear.
"I don't think it's ever a good idea to dismiss the fact that police are here in greater numbers than we've seen in the past. We're thankful, but it can't stop," said Ald. Sandi Jackson, 7th Ward.
"I'm happy things are getting stirred up. If it's stirred up things will happen," said Parham.
Just as quickly as officers assembled, they left that street and that crime scene, resuming patrols and resuming the search for the killer of a senior citizen.
