Richland County coroner identifies 76-year-old woman killed during home invasion

The Richland County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim who was beaten to death Sunday evening during a home invasion.

Coroner Gary Watts said 76-year-old Alice Tollison, of Columbia, was found dead in her home Sunday evening. An autopsy conducted by the coroner revealed Tollison died from traumatic injuries to her upper body.

Watts has ruled Tollison’s death as a homicide.

Lt. Curtis Wilson, a Richland County Sheriff’s Department spokesman, said deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 7800 block of Edgewater Drive, near Crestbrook Road, after receiving a 911 call from Tollison’s 8-year-old granddaughter.

Wilson said when deputies arrived, they found the child inside the home. She told deputies that she had been tied up during the incident, but was able to escape and call 911.

After further investigation of the home, Wilson said deputies found Tollison unresponsive in the kitchen. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wilson said deputies observed that there had been a struggle inside the home before it was ransacked.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call Crimestoppers at 1 (888)-CRIME-SC.

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 2:47 PM.