Windsor police are investigating a homicide near downtown.
Police went to an apartment on Wellington Ave, near Wyandotte St W, around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"First homicide of 2019," says Sergeant Steve Betteridge. "This all started as a call for service on Saturday May 25th and there was information that a deceased female was located in an apartment unit in the 500 block of Wellington Avenue."
Police were told there was a woman's body there.
The scene was contained and the investigation began with the area canvassed and a number of witnesses interviewed.
Police have now classified it as a homicide.
The deceased has been identified as a 63-year-old woman from Windsor, who resided at the Wellington apartment.
"The name of the victim is not being released at this time," says Betteridge. "Next of kin has been notified and they are aware."
While police are not releasing her name, neighbours have identified the victim as Miss Butterfield.
Jade Joncas lives in the building and tells CTV Windsor she's the one who called police.
"I called at 7:30 p.m. when I noticed the smell coming from her window," says Joncas. "I brought the dog up, I came down, I told my boyfriend like the smell that we've been smelling for days is coming from Miss Butterfield's window. I had then came back down, went to her window and said Miss Butterfield, Miss Butterfield are you okay, no response, no nothing."
That is when Joncas says she had a friend go with her and they found the victim dead in her bed.
“It was a sight that I’ll never want to see again.”
Joncas also tells CTV News she's scared to live in the building.
"I'm petrified,” admits Joncas. “I am for sure scared because if somebody can do something like that to an old lady, they're capable of anything."
Joncas says Miss Butterfield was a nice lady who kept to herself, and residents never saw her unless she was going to her mailbox.
Her death is the first homicide of 2019 in Windsor after there were nine murder investigations and one manslaughter case in 2018.
Sergeant Betteridge is urging residents to come forward with any information.
"In a homicide investigation, that is a very slow and methodical investigation where we piece together every little piece of evidence and sometimes the slightest bit of information can greatly assist in this case," says Betteridge.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Windsor Police Service at 519-255-6700 ext. 4830, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS), or online at www.catchcrooks.com.