MINNEAPOLIS - Police say an accomplished glass artist was found dead in her north Minneapolis home Thursday morning and the case is being treated as a homicide.
Investigators found signs of forced entry, but have not identified a suspect or a motive for the killing in the 5100 block of Dupont Avenue North.
Several neighbors, including friend and Minneapolis City Council President Barb Johnson, have identified the victim as Susan Spiller.
The 68-year-old artist made colorful jewelry and lamp shades featuring pieces of melted glass fused together. She also taught glass art classes at local shops.
"I have known her for a very, very long time. I can't tell you how upset people are in north Minneapolis because of the loss of this lady," Johnson said.
"She does beautiful, beautiful bead work. There are people all over this community who have art work on them, on their jewelry that she has made."
Spiller served on the board of the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association, and helped create the Lind Community Garden just down the street from her home.
She was also active in the Northside Arts Collective, an organization that promotes the work of local artists and sponsor art shows.
"We're still in shock over this senseless act and really at a profound loss for words," said Jeanne Fish of the Northside Arts Collective. "Susan was exceptional as a person and an artist."
Spiller was also involved in greyhound rescue work and her local neighborhood watch. Her pet greyhound was not harmed in the attack and was picked up later by family members.
Police were called to the Spiller's home around 9 a.m. when she didn't answer phone calls or her front door. Investigators say it appears someone forced their way into the back of the home.
No one was in custody as of Thursday night, which was one of the reasons police had not revealed any more details about the types of injuries Spiller suffered before her death.
The area, on the far north end of the city, does not see much police activity in general, which made the crime all the more shocking.
"This neighborhood does not tend to have high call loads for the Minneapolis police department," MPD spokesman John Elder told KARE. "This is not an area that has generated a high number of complaints."
Glen Schave, who lives two doors down from Spiller, said that his neighbor was always friendly and upbeat.
"She always had a minute to listen to whatever you've got going on, or chat with you," Schave remarked.
"It's hard to believe this happened to someone like her because she's so, she's so cool."
Call to action
The slaying served as yet another call to action for city leaders.
Mayor Betsy Hodges and Deputy Chief Kris Arneson updated the media Thursday afternoons on efforts to step up crime prevention in the city's northern sector.
"Everyone deserves to be safe. Everyone deserves feel safe in their homes, on their blocks, and in their neighborhoods," Mayor Hodges said.
Arneson said that while overall crime is down in 2015 compared to 2014, violent crime is on the upswing. The city's 26 homicides, including a shooting that stemmed from an argument at 21st Street and Thomas Avenue North in the pre-dawn hours Thursday.
The number of nonfatal shootings so far this year -- 111 -- represents a 6.7 percent increase over last year at this time. Arnson said two-thirds of those nonfatal shootings have been on the north side of Minneapolis.
"We will continue to put every available resource on the streets to prevent future acts of violence," Arneson told reporters.
She said extra patrols are being added to the city's north side for the next few months, in addition to the new gang interdiction unit that started working that part of Minneapolis in June.
Arneson said arrests have increased this summer, as well as recovery of firearms used in crimes.
"We're relentless. We're putting additional investigators on all of these cases, but we need help from the community. We can't do this alone. We really need their help."
Council President Johnson said there was a time when large families occupied the bungalows in that part of the city, but now many of them are occupied by single women such as Susan Spiller.
"Some of them have single ladies living by themselves. And I can tell you the names of many of them around that neighborhood. They are afraid. They're gonna be more afraid."
