Dayton native, 82, victim in Florida murder, was ‘angel on earth’

Update@5:15 p.m. (Aug. 21):

Faye Gibson, Watson’s daughter-in-law, said Monday that the family still doesn’t know why she was killed. Her daughter spoke with her Friday, and there were no signs that anything was wrong.

Then they got word of Watson’s death four hours later, Gibson said.

“Alice was one of the most kind, gentle and loving people that I’ve ever met in my life,” said Gibson, a Lebanon resident. “She never judged anyone in her life. She was accepting of us, and loved us unconditionally. She was strong in her faith. She was a grandmother, mother and great aunt. She was our angel on earth.”

Watson had three children, nine grandchildren, three step grandchildren and multiple great grandchildren. She was a longtime member of Grace Point Church of the Nazarene in Sandford, Florida, where she was working on the building fund, Gibson said.

First report:

An 82-year-old woman police say was brutally murdered by her longtime husband this month grew up and raised a family in Dayton before moving to Florida in 1979, according to her online obituary.

Alice Marie Watrous Watson was found dead in her bed in her home in Sanford, Florida with her feet tied to the bed and deep lacerations to her knees and neck, the Orlando Sentinel has reported.

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Her husband of 25 years, Elue Watson, 75 is charged with first degree murder, the Sentinel reported. It says police found him walking on railroad tracks and he asked them to check on his wife, which is when they found her body. Law enforcement officials have not given a motive for the killing and he has no criminal record, according to the Sentinel.

Alice's obituary says she was born in Akron and raised in Dayton, where she still has family living in the area.

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