Google manager, 27, is stripped naked, raped, killed and set on FIRE while running in woods near her mum’s home
A police K-9 unit located her body 7 hours after she failed to return from her jog in what were described as 'horrible circumstances'
A GOOGLE manager was stripped naked, raped, murdered and burned after going jogging near her mum's home.
Vanessa Marcotte was last seen at 1pm on Sunday in Princeton, Massachusetts when she went for a run.
Cops with sniffer dogs found her body at 8.20pm the same day about half a mile from her mum's house in what they described as a "horrible set of circumstances".
The 27-year-old was discovered with burns on her hands and feet and police were investigating a sexual assault.
Massachusetts State Police have now launched a homicide investigation and currently do not know if it was a random attack or not.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said: “People should be concerned, we are asking them to use an abundance of caution.
“We have a horrible set of facts, horrible set of circumstances and we are going to do everything we can to make sure that this investigation is carried out."
He added:“We are asking the residents of Princeton and surrounding areas to use an abundance of caution. We are asking the public to be careful and to be vigilant.
"This was a woman who was out walking and jogging on a rural road, we’re asking people in town to use an abundance of caution.
If that means travelling with other people if you’re out, if you’re going to be running or jogging, we’re asking people to do that.”
Princeton Police Chief Michelle Powers said, “We are concerned about the safety of our town residents and the visitors that enter our town.
"We would ask people to pay attention to their surroundings.
"If you see anything suspicious or out of place, please contact the Princeton Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police.
"If you’ve seen anything in the past 24 hours that appeared suspicious or out of the ordinary, please contact us.”
Ms Marcotte worked for Google in New York City having graduated from Boston University in 2011.
Spokesman for the university Colin Riley told F0X25: "We're so terribly sad for her family and friends. They're in our thoughts and prayers."
She had worked for Google for nearly two years and her employer released a statement saying: "Vanessa Marcotte was a much loved member of the Google team, working in our New York office for the last year and a half, and known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work and love of Boston sports.
"We are deeply shocked and saddened, and our thoughts are with her family and friends."
Before she began working for the tech giant the 27-year-old worked in marketing for Vistaprint.
Vistaprint said in a statement: “We are shocked and heartbroken to hear the news about Vanessa.
"She was always incredibly friendly and positive, and her smart, creative and innovative approach to work made a huge impact here at Vistaprint.
"She truly cared about those around her and always made an effort to forge strong relationships.
"Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
While at university she wrote a blog in which she said: "I am a Public Relations major with an extreme interest in all things Internet-savvy.
"To get a little technical, I am passionate about business strategies like SEO, Analytics and Inbound Marketing (just to name a few) and hope to develop these skills further and make them a focus in my future career."
The rural town of Princeton has about 3,500 residents and is 40 miles west of Boston.
DA Early says Marcotte grew up in nearby Leominster.
The news comes just days after a woman was murdered jogging through Queens in New York City.
Karina Vetrano, 30, was found dead with her jogging pants pulled down to her knees after being reported missing by her retired-firefighter father when she didn’t return from her regular 5pm run.
Early said in the press conference there was "nothing at this point" connecting the two deaths.
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