Grosse Pointe Park woman, 56,
found dead in car in Detroit

Police have identified the woman found dead in her Mercedes-Benz on Detroit's east side Jan. 25 as Jane Bashara, 56, of Grosse Pointe Park.

The body of Bashara, left, was found in an alley in the 19000 block of Annott Street, near Pinewood Avenue in the Seven Mile/Hoover area of the city, around 9 a.m. 

Detroit homicide police were investigating. Grosse Pointe Park police chief David Hiller said that Bashara's husband, Bob, contacted the department at 11:30 Tuesday night, saying his wife wasn't home yet. He said they had last spoken late Tuesday afternoon.

The cause of death was unknown, although a press release from Hiller said there was evidence of trauma on the body. An autopsy was to be performed Thursday.

Bob Bashara, a former Rotary Club president, and his wife were described by friends as "highly active" in the community. Her longtime friend, Grosse Pointe school board member Lois Valente, described Jane Bashara as a "wicked smart" woman who would not have taken chances with her personal safety. 

"I can't get my arms around this," Valente said. "We've been friends for 25 years." The Basharas hosted a fund-raiser for Valente in her recent campaign for the board seat. 

Jane Bashara was a marketing executive for KEMA, an energy consulting firm. She and her husband have two college-age children.

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