A beloved 88-year-old San Jose woman, who died on Oct. 8 after being brutally beaten during a home invasion robbery, will be celebrated in a funeral service on Thursday, her family said.
The funeral for Flo Douglas, dubbed by her neighbors and friends as Miss Flo, will be at 11 a.m. at the Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church at 1830 E. San Antonio Street, San Jose.
"We truly appreciate the outpouring of love and interest from the community," Douglas' nephew Pastor Michael Wallace said in an email.
People are also invited to a viewing between 5 and 9 p.m. Wednesday at Chapel of Flowers at 900 Second Street, San Jose, according to Wallace.
Zachary Cuen is suspected of viciously beating and robbing Douglas on Sept. 12 and will likely be charged with murder, according to Sgt. Richard Glennon from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.
Sources close to the investigation say sheriff's deputies have a video of Cuen using Douglas' credit card and driving her car.
Douglas was in the intensive care unit after suffering hemmorraging in her eye and brain. She was showing signs of improvement, but died at 1:50 a.m. Oct. 8.
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"As time has progressed, we've been encouraged by some of the progress we've heard, so today was a complete shock for us to find out that she passed away," Glennon said.
Prosecutors say the 19-year-old parolee was trying to kill Douglas during a robbery at her home in the Alum Rock neighborhood on Sept. 12.
"When the victim, Ms. Douglas, said she didn’t have any money, he started punching and kicking her multiple times," deputy district attorney Rebekah Wise said last month. "Ms. Douglas fell to the floor. He then continued to kick her."
The attack happened in the home where Douglas lived alone. Investigators said Cuen initially left then returned to beat the victim again, ransacking her house and stealing her car. Detectives said they also found one of Cuen’s fingerprints at the home.
Cuen, who lived across the street from Douglas, was on probation in connection with a February vehicle theft and hit-and-run. He also attempted to burglarize an 85-year-old woman who lives in the same neighborhood as Douglas, sources said.