FREDONIA, NY ( WKBW ) They can't forget about it but they want to let it go as much as they can i guess," said Fredonia resident Mark Eppinger.
Eppinger is talking about the elderly residents at the One Temple Square Apartments.
"Everybody is kind of scared, kind of freaked out. Nobody wants to really talk about it or talk too much about it. They kind of want to let it be and let it dissipate I guess," Eppinger told Eyewitness News.
On Friday police say the body of 81-year old Ruth Fisk was found inside One Temple Square, a federally funded apartment building for seniors and people with disabilities. Another resident 37-year old Jason P. Wells has been arrested and charged with her murder.
Eppinger's mother has been a resident at One Temple Square for the past ten years. Residents say Fisk and Wells knew each other.
"From what I hear they were really good friends. They knew each other quite well and there was really no problems before that night. She let him borrow the car did favors for him quite rapidly and i don't know i guess just something went wrong," said Eppinger.
Police believe Wells stabbed and beat Fisk sometime between Wednesday and Friday. A worker reportedly discovered her body. Eppinger says although he feels the building is safe the killing raises questions about having vulnerable seniors housed with much younger residents.
"It definitely raises a lot of questions with the elders here. It makes them a little nervous. The younger people are definitely a lot stronger than them so they're a little nervous. Like I said it is a completely secure building they've got good dead bolts and really there's no way to get in any of the apartments but if you let your guard down and trust the wrong person just shows that bad things happen to good people," Eppinger said.
A preliminary hearing for Wells is scheduled for February 10th at 10 a.m. Wells is being held in the Chautauqua County Jail with no bail.
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