Alecia Foster
VERDUGO MOUNTAINS -- Renata Reich never hesitated to lend a helping
hand - whether it was taking in a stray cat or planning her stepson's
wedding.
"She had a wonderful heart," said her husband, Allen.
It is for that reason her family struggles to understand why someone
would want to hurt the 66-year-old woman.
Renata was found dead on the couple's lawn early Sunday morning in the
100 block of Wonderview Drive. Police ruled the death a homicide after
autopsy results showed she died of a head trauma.
Rather than mourn Reich, her family has chosen to celebrate her life
and remember the good times.
"She was always upbeat and friendly," said her stepson, Greg.
Reich was born in Germany and moved to the United States in 1962.
Little more than 20 years later, Reich, an escrow agent, crossed paths
with and later married railroad engineer Allen Reich.
"I was selling a house and she did the escrow," he said, smiling.
The two did everything together -- from taking walks to traveling.
Allen said now that the two were retired, they were planning to do much
more traveling, including a trip to Germany.
Allen Reich said despite the tragedy, the two will make it back there
together. Renata had always made it known that when she died, she wanted
to be cremated and her ashes returned to Germany.
"Later this year we will get together with her family and do that," he
said.
Most of Renata's family is on the East Coast, so the Reichs have
chosen to hold a small private gathering on Saturday to remember Renata
In the meantime, police continue to investigate the slaying. Both the
Reich family and Glendale Police are asking anyone who may have heard or
seen anything late Saturday night or Sunday morning to contact Glendale
investigators at 548-3987.
Anonymous tips may be called into the Crime Stoppers line at 507-STOP.
Police say anyone with a tip that leads to an arrest is eligible for a
reward up to $1,000.
