Wilcox Ave. homicide victim ID'd

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Portsmouth police are investigating the death of woman, whose body was found in the road on Wilcox Avenue Sunday morning.

"The person was lying in the street on the bike, not on the bicycle but the bicycle was there and the person was in the street," said one man who woke up after his wife told him about the police presence.

Police identified her as Gloria M. Johnson, AKA "Puddin." She was 47 years old, with a last known address in the 900 block of 7th Street in Portsmouth, a news release from the Portsmouth Police Department said.

Officers said this is the second homicide in Portsmouth they are investigating for 2011.

Police and EMS were called to the 1100 block of Wilcox Avenue at around 5:22 a.m. Sunday for a report of a person laying in the roadway. When police and medical crews arrived on the scene they said the woman suffered apparent trauma, according to police spokesman Lt. Scott Burke.

It was a grizzly scene for residents - many who have lived in the well-established neighborhood for years.

"That's what makes it shocking normally it is just a quiet place. We don't have no trouble out here," said longtime resident Leon Reid.

Police said Johnson was killed where she was found but detectives are not saying how she died.

Portsmouth police are asking anyone that has information about this incident to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-UP. Remember you do not have to give your name.