Mother, 75, and daughter found stabbed to death in Philadelphia basement: police

PHILADELPHIA - A Crescentville neighborhood is in complete shock and disbelief after a mother and daughter were found stabbed to death Tuesday afternoon.

Police have made no arrests but are questioning one man who was said to be related to the victims.

"It’s hard to believe, first of all, this is in our neighborhood," said neighbor Jack Burkhardt, who has lived across the street from the victims on the 6000 block of Bingham Street for 58 years.

The usually quiet residential neighborhood was turned into a crime scene Tuesday. Police say a 75-year-old woman and her 58-year-old daughter were found dead in the basement of the yellow brick home just after 1:30pm.

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Police say they both suffered from multiple stab wounds. They were identified as Angela Trejo, 75, and Alma Barberena, 58, by police.

"One of the daughters always checked in. If it wasn’t one of them, it was the other daughter. Someone always checked in on them," said Burkhardt, who watched as police removed the bodies from the home.

Neighbors say the 75-year-old woman is the longtime owner of the home along with her husband who friends say was at home at the time of the stabbing.

Crime scene technicians towed away two Volvos parked outside the house. Police sources tell FOX 29, although the motive isn’t clear, investigators believe it was a result of a domestic-related incident and there is no immediate danger to the public.

"They are the kindest, sweetest, most loving folks I’ve ever met in my life," said one neighbor who asked not to be identified.

She says you couldn’t ask for better neighbors who have lived on the block for more than 20 years. She had just seen one of the victims, who was taking care of her garden just a few hours before she was killed. Many on the block spent the day feeling stunned.

"Broke my heart, broke my soul, (they are) friends of mine and never in my lifetime would I imagine this in my neighborhood," added the neighbor.

Police say they have made no arrests. But shortly after the incident, a relative of the victims was brought into homicide for questioning. 

The deaths mark the 99th and 100th homicides of the year in Philadelphia.