Neighbors puzzled by woman's murder

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - Neighbors say 55-year-old Misty Whiteley helped prepare meals for the elderly woman across the street. Now she's charged with killing her.

"It's kind of a shock. I wouldn't expect anything like that out of Misty," said a man working in his garage.  “She was a nice neighbor."

Police say a knife was found beside 82 year-old Zelma Huddleston's  body, along with a keychain engraved with the name “Misty.”

"Just kind of odd. A friend of mine," offered neighbor Jennifer Murdoch.

Murdoch said Misty seemed overly friendly. She often walked her dog. Neighbors say they've heard the barking dog could have something to do with what happened.

"I heard the victim had taken the dog. That doesn't make sense, but she was very possessive about her dog," Murdoch said.

Police reports say the 82-year-old victim had lacerations and blunt-force trauma to the head. Now with one neighbor dead and another charged with her murder, people here are shocked.

"That really surprised me. I didn't know she had that in her," offered a neighbor.