By ,
Published August 08, 2016
A New York City woman visiting her mother in Massachusetts was killed Sunday while jogging through the woods near her home, law enforcement officials said Monday.
Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said that 27-year-old Vanessa Marcotte was reported missing after she failed to return from a Sunday afternoon run in Princeton, Mass.
Her body was found Sunday night by a state police canine unit about a half-mile from her mother's home, according to Early.
Early added that investigators do not know if the killing was a "random act," and that authorities are asking residents of surrounding communities to remain vigilant.
"People should be concerned," he said at a news conference.
Early added that there is “nothing at this point” to connect Marcotte’s killing to the murder last week of Karina Vetrano, who was killed while jogging near her home in Queens, N.Y.
Boston University spokesperson Colin Riley told Fox 25 she graduated from the school in May 2011 with honors from the College of Communication.
"We're so terribly sad for her family and friends. They're in our thoughts and prayers," Riley said.
Police said Marcotte was a Leominster native, and her LinkedIn lists her as graduating from The Bancroft School in Worcester in 2007. According to her LinkedIn page, Marcotte worked for Google in New York City.
Neighbors said they received an automated call from Princeton Police around 8 p.m. Sunday. Massachusetts State Police troopers said they arrived to an already active scene around 10:30 p.m.
The rural town of Princeton has about 3,500 residents and is 40 miles west of Boston. Early said that Marcotte grew up in the nearby town of Leominster.
Joanne Kay, manager of a bakery and cafe in Princeton, told the Boston Globe she plans to give authorities surveillance video from her store because joggers, cyclists, and hikers are frequent customers.
“It’s devastating,” Kay told the newspaper. “It’s like your own daughter.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-woman-visiting-mom-in-massachusetts-killed-in-woods-after-going-for-jog