Inside the home, sheriff's officials said they found 83-year-old Paula E. McCance dead. Her death is being investigated as a homicide, with robbery being a possible motive.
Wake County Sheriff's investigators went door to door along the road looking for answers on Tuesday.
Neighbor Lisa Masteller said her daughter came home concerned about the incident.
"She said mom there's some police crime scene yellow tape down the road by the cemetery, and I'm like 'what's going on'," she said. "That is my concern, absolutely because it's just down the road."
Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said McCance lived in the home alone with her pet dog. Her sister was supposed to move in with her on Tuesday.
"I heard she was handicapped or was very limited in what she was able to do so, she was by herself, assaulted somehow I guess, I don't know," Masteller said. "That's horrible because you're alone."
Harrison said her sister came to the house around 5:30 p.m. on Monday and found her and called 911.
McCance was last seen alive by a family member around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Authorities are asking residents in the area if they saw anything between 9:30 p.m. Sunday and 12:30 to 1 p.m. Monday to call police.
