Authorities investigating homicide of woman in Stoughton

STOUGHTON — Authorities are investigating the death of a 40-year-old woman whose body was found Tuesday morning in an outbuilding of a home in Stoughton, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey’s office.

The woman, identified as Amber Buckner, was the victim of “an apparent homicide,” officials said. The investigation is focused on the home at 743 Park St., according to Morrissey’s office.

Buckner was discovered by a couple “with ties to the property” who called police at approximately 10:50 a.m., Morrissey said at a late afternoon news conference.

Police found the victim in an outbuilding behind the house.

It was “obvious” to officers that the woman had suffered “significant injuries,” Morrissey said.

“It was pretty simple for the police to figure out [they were dealing with a homicide], from what they had seen,” he said.

Morrissey said the victim was known to the couple, who had likely been expecting to meet her before discovering the body.

It is unclear if the woman was a resident of the property, he said. In a brief update Tuesday night, a spokesman for Morrissey said only that Buckner “was residing in Stoughton.”

Police are searching for witnesses who may have lived or been in the area from sometime Monday evening to early Tuesday morning, Morrissey said.

“It was sometime during that timeframe that we believe the incident occurred,” he said. “The best evidence we have [indicates] that it was not a long period of time.”

A neighbor who declined to give his name said Tuesday afternoon in a brief phone interview that he was waiting for detectives to arrive at his residence, so they could view his home surveillance footage. The man said he didn’t know the woman who was killed, and that he had “no idea” what happened.

Morrissey said the incident was not believed to be a random act.

In the neighborhood Tuesday evening, some neighbors said they didn’t know the residents personally, but that the home seemed to have a lot of activity.

Sheryl Basile, who also lives across the street, said she hadn’t realized anything was wrong until she saw police cruisers pull up with guns drawn.

“We’d like to extend our condolences and our heartfelt sorrow for the victim, for her family, and her friends,” said Police Chief Donna MacNamara.