YOUNGSTOWN Prowler heard before slaying

Police hope fingerprints will be found on evidence collected.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Suspicious activity in the Brownlee Woods neighborhood where an 86-year-old woman was killed during a robbery went unreported to police -- something that shouldn't happen again, said Lt. Robin Lees.
"If someone had summoned police for a prowler, we may have had a different outcome," Lees, police spokesman, said today. "We are encouraging everyone in that section of the city, especially, to call 911 if they see a prowler or hear someone at their front door."
Helen Koscak, of 3511 Belden Ave., was found dead in her bed at 1:10 p.m. Saturday by her daughter. The daughter had last spoken to her mother at 10:45 p.m. Friday.
Koscak, who lived alone, was apparently beaten to death, police said. Entry was made through a side kitchen door. Lees said the crime lab is testing evidence collected at the scene, hoping to find fingerprints.
Two rotary phones were taken then dropped near the garage, police said. Scattered change and Koscak's wallet were found on the kitchen floor.
Neighbors
One of Koscak's elderly neighbors, when interviewed by police, said she heard someone on her own front porch around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, attempting to open the front door. After a short time, the person left and the elderly woman, who did not get up or look outside, did not call police, reports show.
"Somebody at your front door would be handled like a burglary-in-progress call," Lees said. "If someone is at your door in the early morning hours when it's still dark, or there are people trespassing in your yard, call 911."
One of Koscak's young Belden Avenue neighbors, who hosted a party Friday night, told police he heard noises in the leaves behind Koscak's house and saw a man walking away. No time was listed for the sighting and no call was made to police.
A Belden Avenue teenager who had a friend stay overnight also heard pounding at his own door about 3 a.m. Saturday but didn't see anything and didn't call police, reports show.
Lees said such suspicious activity shouldn't be ignored.
"I think with older people, they don't want to bother the police," Lees said. "If they had made a call, the presence of police office may have frightened off the perpetrator or perpetrators."
Koscak is the city's 15th homicide victim this year. At this time last year, 29 homicides had been recorded, and the city ended the year with 33.