Woman found dead in alley was asphyxiated, Modesto police reveal

The homicide victim found the morning of April 21 in an alley in northwest Modesto was asphyxiated, the Modesto Police Department said Monday.

Jenny Wu, 41, had been reported missing the evening before from nearby Modesto Residential Living Center, a mental health facility.

Her partially clothed body was discovered about 9 a.m. by someone passing through the alley off the 1700 block of Evergreen Avenue near Carver Road. It was positioned between a utility box and a fence in the alley.

Modesto police spokeswoman Heather Graves said detectives believe Wu was killed at the place her body was found. There does not appear to be a correlation between her leaving Modesto Residential Living Center and her homicide, Graves said. Wu apparently was not lured from the facility or going to meet someone.

From evidence gathered, “it sounds like at the time, she walked around quite a bit” before she was killed, Graves said. “We are actively searching for any leads.”

Wu was a Bay Area resident before entering the center. No suspects in her slaying have been identified.

Anyone with information on the homicide is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tipsters may also text Crime Stoppers at 274637 by typing “TIP704.”

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Woman found dead in alley was asphyxiated, Modesto police reveal."