Three injured in burglary at retirement community

Posted Wednesday, December 5, 2007

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Pittsboro, NC — Three elderly women were injured in a Wednesday morning burglary at the Galloway Ridge at Fearrington retirement community in Chatham County, NC. The ages of the victims are 77 years old, 82 years old, and 92 years old, and the youngest and oldest victims are sisters.

Margaret Murta, 92, and Mary Corcoren, 82, lived together at the retirement home. Rebecca Fisher, 77, lived across the hall.

Two of the women were airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and the third was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Their conditions are unknown at this time, but all survived the attack.

Police said that all three are suffering from head trauma but they would not confirm speculation that the women had been shot. Two of the women were found on the floor and one was sitting in a sofa chair when staff found them.

Authorities say the preliminary investigation shows the suspect likely forced his way into the retirement home through an outside patio.

Major Gary Blankenship of the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, said two of the women were assaulted inside unit G-107, where they lived. A third woman, a neighbor, came into the unit during the assault.

The break-in occurred on the first floor of Galloway Ridge at Fearrington, a retirement community located six miles south of Chapel Hill. The complex's internal alarm system was triggered and authorities were alerted to the scene by a panic button.

Chatham County deputies and Highway Patrol troopers were investigating the case and were searching the area for one man in connection with the break-in. Witnesses say the suspect was a five-foot-six black man, about 25 to 30 years old, wearing a dark leather jacket and blue jeans. The suspect fled on foot. K9 units are on the scene, but no arrests have been made.

Police and emergency vehicles blocked access at the US 15-501 entrance to the site.