COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A 55-year-old woman died Sunday, 22 days after being found injured, unconscious and suffering from a possible assault in a Commerce City park, police said on Monday.
Commerce City Police said they found the victim, Melissa Vigil, on July 1 in Veterans Memorial Park, located at 6015 Forest Drive. She was "gravely wounded and unconscious." Whatever happened left her with serious head injuries. She never regained consciousness.
Commerce City Deputy Chief Greg Sadar said several detectives and crime scene experts are involved in the active, "detailed criminal investigation." Detectives are also partnering with the Commerce City/Brighton Sex Assault Task Force and working to determine whether Vigil was sexually assaulted.
The investigation has included interviews and visits to local businesses, where detectives looked for surveillance video that could shed light on what happened. They also have posted flyers about the crime in the area where Vigil was found and in surrounding homeless shelters, police said.
Family members said Vigil struggled with addiction and homelessness.
"Who would really do this to a person?" asked one of her brothers, Matt Pacheco, in an interview with 9NEWS. "She was my sister, and she did not deserve this – she did not deserve this. Nobody deserves this."
The police department said it "extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Ms. Vigil, along with the assurance we will continue to investigate this tragic incident."
Police said they are in regular contact with Vigil's family and connected them to victim advocates.
Police asked that anyone with information about this incident to call the Commerce City Police Department Tip Line at (303) 289-3626.
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