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| Two women killed in separate incidents in Maryland | Two women killed in separate incidents in Maryland |
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| A 56-year-old grandmother was fatally shot inside her home in the Landover Hills area on New Year’s night, police said, marking the first homicide of 2020 in Prince George’s County. | A 56-year-old grandmother was fatally shot inside her home in the Landover Hills area on New Year’s night, police said, marking the first homicide of 2020 in Prince George’s County. |
| Prince George’s County police said Filomena Vasquez was killed by gunfire that came from outside her home at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. Neighbors on the quiet block said Vasquez was always friendly and the head of a big family who had long lived there. | Prince George’s County police said Filomena Vasquez was killed by gunfire that came from outside her home at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. Neighbors on the quiet block said Vasquez was always friendly and the head of a big family who had long lived there. |
| Police are investigating her death and say the motive is unknown. | Police are investigating her death and say the motive is unknown. |
| “Every time I would come outside she would say, ‘Hola Ebony, how are you doing?’ ” said next-door neighbor Ebony Jones, 24, who lived next to the Vasquez family for 12 years. “She was always reading her Bible, and she was always cooking.” | “Every time I would come outside she would say, ‘Hola Ebony, how are you doing?’ ” said next-door neighbor Ebony Jones, 24, who lived next to the Vasquez family for 12 years. “She was always reading her Bible, and she was always cooking.” |
| Jones said Vasquez, who was from El Salvador, had five children and at least seven young grandchildren, who were frequently at the two-story brick house located in the 7400 block of Varnum Street. | Jones said Vasquez, who was from El Salvador, had five children and at least seven young grandchildren, who were frequently at the two-story brick house located in the 7400 block of Varnum Street. |
| “It appears all of the shots were fired into the house from outside but a motive isn’t known at this time,” Prince George’s County police said. Vasquez was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. | “It appears all of the shots were fired into the house from outside but a motive isn’t known at this time,” Prince George’s County police said. Vasquez was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. |
| There were bullet holes in the front window of the house Thursday, and no family members were home. Vasquez’s family could not be reached by phone Thursday. | There were bullet holes in the front window of the house Thursday, and no family members were home. Vasquez’s family could not be reached by phone Thursday. |
| Edit Sayko, who lived two doors down, left pink roses and a note of sympathy for the family, which she said moved in around 15 years ago. | Edit Sayko, who lived two doors down, left pink roses and a note of sympathy for the family, which she said moved in around 15 years ago. |
| Sayko said that when their children were young, they would play on her porch. The family seemed to always be growing, she said, with the children starting to bring home boyfriends and girlfriends, and then having children of their own. In recent years, she said, Vasquez’s family renovated the house to make more room. | Sayko said that when their children were young, they would play on her porch. The family seemed to always be growing, she said, with the children starting to bring home boyfriends and girlfriends, and then having children of their own. In recent years, she said, Vasquez’s family renovated the house to make more room. |
| Sayko said she heard a commotion when the shots were fired Wednesday night and worried someone was breaking into her house. | Sayko said she heard a commotion when the shots were fired Wednesday night and worried someone was breaking into her house. |
| “I didn’t recognize it as gunshots,” Sayko said. “Then I looked out the window and saw the police cars and the ambulance and said, ‘Oh my God, not them.’ . . . They were the nicest, friendliest and kindest family.” | “I didn’t recognize it as gunshots,” Sayko said. “Then I looked out the window and saw the police cars and the ambulance and said, ‘Oh my God, not them.’ . . . They were the nicest, friendliest and kindest family.” |
| Nixon Aguilar, who lived across the street, said Vasquez sometimes picked his little sister up from school and brought her home when his family couldn’t. | Nixon Aguilar, who lived across the street, said Vasquez sometimes picked his little sister up from school and brought her home when his family couldn’t. |
| “They were just really good people,” said Aguilar, 22, adding he was shocked when he heard gun shots Wednesday night. Aguilar said at first he thought they were fireworks and learned from news reports Thursday morning what had happened. | “They were just really good people,” said Aguilar, 22, adding he was shocked when he heard gun shots Wednesday night. Aguilar said at first he thought they were fireworks and learned from news reports Thursday morning what had happened. |
| In an unrelated incident, Prince George’s said they found a woman dead inside a car in the 8700 block of Ritchie Drive near Ritchie Marlboro Road in Capitol Heights on Thursday. | |
| Law enforcement officials said officers were in the area at about 5:30 a.m. for a welfare check and found the woman inside a car. She had trauma to her upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was not identified. | |
| In 2019, Prince George’s County investigated 74 homicides, a 23 percent increase over the previous year’s total of 60. | |
| Julie Tate contributed to this report. | Julie Tate contributed to this report. |
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