Durham, N.C. — A woman found dead Sunday afternoon in the garage of her Durham home was shot to death, police said Tuesday.

A man who called 911 said it appeared that Altaree Norris, 81, had fallen and hit her head. When the dispatcher told the man to get a towel and put it on Norris' head to slow the bleeding, he said he couldn't.

"(He) won't let me inside the house to get a cloth," the caller said. "He's being obnoxious."

Because the 911 call was altered to protect the caller's identity, it's difficult to determine who was inside the house and the person's relationship, if any, to Norris or the caller.

Investigators removed items from the home in the 4300 block of David Street, off North Roxboro Road, on Tuesday and searched them before taking them back inside. They didn't say whether anything had been taken from the home or provide any information on a possible motive for Norris' death.

Neighbors said that Norris had lived alone since her husband died several years ago, but she remained active in the community.

"I've been knowing her ... since I moved over here, and she's a real nice lady," next-door neighbor Grady Veasey said. "I hated what happened to her."

Veasey said he didn't hear or see anything suspicious before police showed up Sunday.

"I was just flabbergasted. I didn't know what to say or do," he said. "I sure hope they find whoever did it, because it's terrible."

No charges have been filed in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham police at 919-560-4440, extension 29350, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.