The State Medical Examiner’s Office will be asked to determine the cause and manner of the death of a 73-year-old woman found inside her house Sunday morning.
Police are classifying the death of Francella Tolbert as “suspicious” because a window at her home was broken and one of the doors was slightly open when officers arrived, Police Lt. Bob Rawlinson said.
Jefferson County Coroner Chad Kelley said Tolbert was pronounced dead at 9:03 a.m. Sunday by Deputy Coroner Eric Belcher and her body was sent to the medical examiner Sunday afternoon.
Rawlinson said Tolbert was found after police were sent to a house in the 1400 block of Juniper Street to check the welfare of the woman, who reportedly had not been seen for a couple of days.
Rawlinson said Tolbert’s sister went to check on her and found her body lying on the floor of one of the rooms of the house. An investigation into the death is continuing.