By David Eck
Enquirer contributor

The thing that stood out most was Lavern Jansen's smile and friendly wave.

"Everybody knew her," said Joan Kellerman, a neighbor of Jansen's for about 20 years. "She was always in a good mood."

That's why it's so difficult for neighbors to understand why Jansen, 81, was killed in her small apartment Wednesday afternoon on Clevesdale Drive in Covedale.

She was found dead after a neighbor called police to say a man entered Jansen's apartment, ordered her to be quiet and to get on the floor.

The 911 caller reporting the crime described him as 6 feet tall, with thin build, brown skin and wearing a white T-shirt, baseball hat and green pants.

A witness told police she saw Jansen walking home to her apartment at about 2 p.m. She was carrying a white shopping bag, possibly from a nearby CVS store. A man was following her. About 15 minutes later, police were called.

"It must have happened right after that," Kellerman said in a quiet, reflective voice. "I just can't believe she's gone. It just doesn't seem possible."

Authorities have not released the cause of death or how Jansen was attacked.

"It's a real `whodunit' right now," Cincinnati Police Lt. Kurt Byrd said. "We need the public's help on this one. This is a particularly horrific crime, an elderly woman living in what's for all intents and purposes is a safe neighborhood.''

It was Cincinnati's 17th homicide of the year. Detectives returned to the building Thursday afternoon to search the bushes in front of the beige, brick apartment building and talk with residents again.

"I was stunned," said Tom McKenna, who has lived across from Jansen's apartment building for 25 years. "It's aggravating as well. They could have just taken her money. He didn't have to kill her."

Jansen had lived in the apartment for about two decades. She is survived by nieces and nephews.

"She enjoyed life," McKenna said. "She's one of the nicest older ladies you'd ever run across. She was always smiling."

Jansen usually attended the 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church about a half mile from her apartment, McKenna said.

After a brain aneurysm about seven years ago forced her to give up driving, Jansen started walking nearly everywhere she went, neighbors said.

"She tried to walk around the block every day," said Kellerman, who remembers talking with her neighbor on Sunday. "If you'd be out working in the yard, you'd see her all the time. It's just sad."

E-mail daveck@fuse.net