Swansea woman, 51, found dead this morning in apparent homicide

By Chris Stuck-Girard, Globe Correspondent

Officials are investigating the apparent homicide of a woman whose body was found in her Swansea home early this morning.

Around 5:35 a.m., Swansea Police received a 911 call about “a deceased woman inside her home” on Ocean Grove Avenue, according to a statement released this morning by the Bristol County District Attorney.

Lisa Mello, 51, was “likely the victim of a homicide,” the statement said.

Swansea and State Police and the district attorney’s office are investigating, the statement said. The State Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy.

A neighbor, Suzanne Dumais, said she had known Mello for 36 years and had “no inkling” anything bad would happen.

“I’ve always got along with Lisa. Never had any misunderstandings,” Dumais said in a brief phone interview on Saturday. “You respected Lisa and she respected you. I really liked her a lot.”

Mello worked five days a week, possibly in the restaurant industry, Dumais said.

Dumais said she was asleep when the call was made to police and said she did not hear any disturbance.

Dumais said State Police interviewed her and other neighbors this morning.

Another neighbor, Cindy Oliveira, said she did not know Mello well and the news of her death was a shock.

This neighborhood “is usually quiet,” she said. “People walk here, jog here. It’s basically a very quiet neighborhood. You never know, I guess.”

Mello’s home is a one-family house, according to the Swansea Assessors Online Database.

No arrests have been made, and no further details were immediately available.