Constance Hounsell, 65, was murdered on December 27, 2008, in her Rockton, Illinois home, a rural area just outside Rockford. She was found in her basement with a stab wound to the neck. There were no signs of forced entry at the property, which led investigators to consider that the attacker may have been someone she knew or someone who gained entry without breaking in.

Mrs. Hounsell had lived alone following her husband’s death in 2005. Her family described her as kind-hearted and generous and well loved in the community. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office has been unable to solve the case; authorities have appealed for tips and noted the difficulties of investigating violent crimes in isolated rural locations. Anyone with information is asked to contact local authorities or Crimestoppers, where anonymity can be provided.