88-year-old woman found bludgeoned to death in her home, her body surrounded with groceries

NORMAN/NORMAN Y. LONO

An 88-year-old woman was found bludgeoned to death in her apartment.

An 88-year-old Bronx woman who covered herself in gold jewelry was found bludgeoned to death inside her apartment Saturday — her bloody body surrounded by fresh groceries, cops said.

Investigators believe Evelyn Shapiro might have been the victim of a violent push-in robbery.

Shapiro’s daughter discovered her body inside her fifth-floor apartment in the Pelham Parkway housing project about 9:55 a.m. and dialed 911.

Shapiro’s front door was open and unlocked, a police source said.

The senior, who suffered severe trauma to the head, was pronounced dead on the scene.

So much blood poured from her body that cops originally thought she had been shot, a source said.

“That is monstrous to kill an old lady like that,” said Maria Lopez Cayon, of Long Island, whose 82-year-old mother lives one floor above Shapiro.

NORMAN/NORMAN Y. LONO

An 88-year-old woman was found bludgeoned to death in her apartment.

Cops were hunting for Shapiro’s killer, who they believe might have followed her into her apartment.

“We’ll find where she bought the groceries and retrace her steps,” a police source said.

“It looks like someone followed her in.”

Shaken neighbors speculated that Shapiro was targeted because of her penchant for wearing gold necklaces and rings.

“She wore an insane amunt of jewelry,” said Lisa Velez, 48. “I asked her why . . . She said she was afraid to leave it in her apartment.”

The gruesome murder stunned her neighbors.

“We’re in shock,” said neighbor Marilyn Delgado, 49. “She was a nice lady. Who could be so stupid to do this?”

“You’re going to kill a lady?” added Delgado. “It could be your grandma. That’s sad.”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. described Shapiro as a “well-known pillar of her community.”

“I call on anyone with information about this murder to come forward, so that we can put this savage behind bars,” Diaz Jr. added.

“Anyone who could so brutally take the life of an 88-year-old woman is a monster, has no place in our society, and the sooner they are off of our streets the better.”