An autopsy on Friday indicated that a woman whose body was found in a burning apartment on Thursday evening was stabbed to death, authorities said.
Firefighters found the body of Joyce Parham, 59, in a unit at the Sedona apartments in the 3800 block of North Emerson Avenue after they extinguished flames in the apartment, police said.
Authorities said they believe the fire was intentionally set, perhaps to cover up the slaying, which they believe happened Thursday afternoon, 6News' Jeremy Brilliant reported.
"We're looking for anyone who has information about anyone who went in or out of that apartment (Thursday) afternoon or anyone who may know of any adversarial relationship Ms. Parham may have been involved in," Indianapolis police Sgt. Matt Mount said Friday.
Firefighters were called to the apartment at about 5:45 p.m. Thursday. They found a fire in a bedroom, extinguished it, and then discovered the body as they were removing a burned mattress, Indianapolis fire Capt. Gregg Harris said.
Sources whom 6News did not name said Parham had been in an ongoing dispute with a female friend and had a violent confronation with her two weeks ago, Brilliant reported.
Firefighters found the body while trying to remove a burned mattress from the apartment, a fire official said.
Parham had children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Some of her relatives on Friday told reporters that they hope anyone with information about the killing would come forward.
"My mother was a great lady. My mother is where I drew strength from," said one of Parham's daughters, Audrey Wilcox. "She was a single mother of five children, and for it to have to end like this is tragic."
Police asked anyone with information about Parham's death to call them at 317-327-4075.
The fire caused about $9,000 worth of damage, Harris said.
