SCRANTON, Pa. -- Police in Lackawanna County stepped up their search for the body of a nun missing since Saturday.
Scranton police say cell phone records from Friday night into Saturday morning led them to search wooded areas in a West Scranton neighborhood, only a few blocks from where the tragedy happened.
So far, they've been unable to find Sister Angela Miller.
Officers combing the woods off Jackson Street in Scranton was a hopeful sign for Emma Taylor.
"Everyone just wants to find her at this point and have closure," Taylor said. "The police have been combing the neighborhood, knocking on doors, looking at video, I mean, they've really been out there searching."
They are searching for Sister Angela Miller, IHM, presumed dead, murdered by her own nephew.
Police say Alan Smith killed his mother and his aunt Sister Angela, before setting the family's home on Washburn Street on fire. He shot at police officers who had arrived to serve him with a protection from abuse order.
"I thought it was just a loud bang that morning, I heard it around 8 (a.m.). I went up to the corner store because I usually get a coffee and that when I saw the house on fire, well, I saw smoke, it wasn't on fire at that point, and the police trying to coax him out of the house," Taylor recalled.
Firefighters found Alan and Rosemary Smith Saturday inside the burned-out home but Sister Angela was nowhere to be found.
Police have spent the week checking surveillance video and phone records thinking Alan Smith dumped Sister Angela's body somewhere nearby.
Officers and a cadaver dog covered miles' worth of ground. Neighbors hope the answer comes soon.
"We just stood horrified and watched it happen. It's a tragedy, it shouldn't, these wonderful women, it shouldn't have happened."
Scranton police went through the area for about seven hours Friday with no luck. There is no word on any more plans to search.