The 27-year-old jogger murdered in broad daylight in Princeton, Massachusetts, likely struggled with her killer, officials said today.
As police continue to hunt for Vanessa Marcotte's killer, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said that authorities have "made some progress" in the case.
According to Early, the unknown killer, only identified as a man, received scratches, scrapes and bruises during the struggle.
Early urged anyone who has seen a man with those injuries to contact the Massachusetts State Police's tip line.
Marcotte went for a jog Sunday in Princeton, a town about 60 miles west of Boston, and never returned. Her body was found that night in a wooded area about half a mile from her mother’s home.
Authorities have now narrowed the timeline of the murder to between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Early said today.
Massachusetts Cops Follow Hundreds of Tips in Murder of Google Employee Vanessa Marcotte Jogger Killings in Mass. and NY Don't Appear to Be Related, Police Say Woman Who Worked for Google Killed After Going for Jog in MassachusettsEarly has said Marcotte, an account manager at Google in New York, frequently visited Massachusetts. She was planning to return to New York City on Sunday.
A Google representative described Marcotte in a statement as "a much loved member of the Google team" who was "known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work and love of Boston sports. We are deeply shocked and saddened, and our thoughts are with her family and friends."
Her alma mater, Boston University, has paid tribute to her as well. "We're so terribly sad for her family and friends," Colin Riley, the executive director of media relations at Boston University, told ABC News. "They're in our thoughts and prayers."