Police search for son after 80-year-old woman is beaten to death

Police are searching for a 50-year-old man as a person of interest in the brutal beating death of his mother overnight in central Fresno.

The 80-year-old woman died of blunt-force trauma after she was attacked in her home in the 1900 block of Vagedes Avenue, a quiet, tree-lined street near Clinton and Fruit avenues, according to Lt. Joe Gomez. A granddaughter called police at 7:46 Wednesday morning after arriving at the Fresno High-area home to check on the woman.

Gomez said the son reportedly had a strained relationship with his mother and other family members. Boards at the back of the home had been ripped off a fence and Gomez said it was possible the killer entered the home through the yard to attack the woman, who police believe lived alone.

“Shocking,” was the word Gomez used to describe the slaying. “We’re going to catch the perpetrator.” The lieutenant said the son is known to frequent a nearby area and it is likely that officers will quickly track him down. Neither the victim nor the suspect were immediately identified.

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 1:17 PM with the headline "Police search for son after 80-year-old woman is beaten to death."