COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Columbus Police say a 57-year-old woman found dead Christmas Day was likely murdered.

Police say Rose Douthitt was found lifeless inside a residence in the 1200 block of Sigsbee Avenue shortly before 5pm Monday.

Police say there were signs of trauma to the victim’s body. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office confirmed the injuries were consistent with her being murdered.

This is the 140th homicide of 2017, surpassing the previous record of 139 set in 1991.

Police Chief Kim Jacobs has called for peace and action to address the increase in slayings in Ohio’s capital and biggest city. She attributes the increase to more illegal guns on the street, effects of the opioid epidemic, more shots being fired during crimes and people turning to guns to solve arguments.

Lack of cooperation from witnesses, always a problem, seems to be getting worse, she added.

“A lot of these victims of these homicides are just found lying bleeding,” she said. “We didn’t know anything about it until we got a call that there was somebody lying on the ground.”

Columbus’ overall homicide rate is actually down from 1991 because of the city’s population growth. Columbus is now the country’s 14th largest city.READ MORE: Columbus logs 139th homicide, tying record high from 1991

Sergeant Dave Sicilian of Columbus Police Homicide says, “The most important part of the 140 homicides or 141 homicides or whatever the number is I don’t think the number is the most important thing we should focus on. Every single homicide, the victims have a family. They have a mother they have a father, sisters and brothers.”

Columbus police stats show most victims and suspects of these homicides are between the ages of 18-40.

Police are pleading for members of the community to help. He hopes the community can intervene.

“We need the eyes and ears we need the people that are out there every day. You know the community. You know who’s in the community. You know who should be there. You know the situations that are going on most of the time. If you are in the community and you know people who are carrying guns and you know people who are skipping school you know people who are doing burglaries and stealing property reach out to us because you are our eyes and ears we can likely intervene and hopefully stop that process where that individual eventually resolves their problem with violence and it culminates into another homicide.”

Of the homicies, 109 have been from firearms. five from stabbings and others are from a sort of trauma or not listed. Police say most homicides are happening between 3pm to 11pm and into the early hours.

Police say the ways the community can help is to speak up if you know or saw something, that you don’t have to be scared to talk to police you can even remain anonymous by calling crimestoppers, talking with a police officer you see or nearby or going to headquarters.

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