A violinist was shot dead at her rural home during a home invasion after reportedly being forced to give up information to the robbers.

Mary E. Whitaker, 61, was found murdered from a gunshot wound to the chest on Wednesday in the garage of her home in Westfield, New York.

Two men were charged on Friday with her murder. Jonathan Conklin, 43, and 30-year-old Charles Sanford are believed to have killed Ms Whitaker during an attempted robbery.

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Symphony violinist Mary E. Whitaker, 61, was found murdered at her home in rural New York on Wednesday after a robbery

Police investigate at the home of Ms Whitaker who was found dead in the garage of her home in Westfield, New York with gunshot wounds to the chest

Ms Whitaker had gunshot wounds to the chest and also one bullet wound to her leg. She is believed to have died in the early hours of Wednesday, the Chautauqua County Sheriff told WGRZ.

Authorities told Buffalo News that the believed the violinist had been targeted by the suspects at her isolated home where she lived alone. Her closest neighbors were a quarter of a mile away.

One neighbor, Linda Burkholder, told the News a strange man had been spotted in their quiet street in June and that he had walked into Ms Whitaker's driveway.

She was found dead by a fellow orchestral player and her husband on Wednesday afternoon around 4pm when they became concerned about not being able to contact her.

Police also reported that the woman 'had been forced' to give the robbers information during the ordeal.

She suffered bruises to her head which suggested she had been beaten before she died, according to the Banner Graphic.

They are unclear if she did but the two men allegedly stole her car and credit card.

The FBI took part in the investigation and found that the victim's credit card was compromised.

Police later found the violinist's car in Erie, Pennsylvania, close to Chautauqua County and were able to trace the two suspects.

Ms Whitaker, pictured left with friends, was an accomplished violinist who lived in New York City but spent several months upstate during the summer at her isolated home

Two men were charged on Friday with the 61-year-old's murder. Jonathan Conklin, 43, (right) and 30-year-old Charles Sanford (left) are believed to have killed Ms Whitaker during an attempted robbery

Conklin and Sanford are facing in life in prison if convicted of murder along with additional charges of car-jacking and use of a firearm.

They are both from Pennsylvania and said to be homeless.

Ms Whitaker, who also lived in Manhattan, belonged to the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra for four decades where she was a second violinist.

She would travel upstate to play with the renowned orchestra which draws musicians from around the country to play in its summer season.

Marty Merkley, director of programming at Chautauqua Institution, told the Buffalo News that the violinist's death was a 'tragic situation' and that the orchestral community were 'devastated'.

According to a friend on Slippedisc.com, Ms Whitaker graduated from Indiana University with a performance degree in violin and moved to New York City to begin her career.

For 30 years, she has been a freelance musician who worked with orchestras including the New York City Opera Touring Company.

She worked on Broadway show The Lion King and she also toured with Barbra Streisand during her 2006-07 North America and International Tour.

Ms Whitaker is survived by her sister Martha who lives in St Louis.

Ms Whitaker was found dead in her garage by friends after she was held their by two robbers who forced her to hand over information, police said