As police investigate her death, family and friends mourn loss of a ‘creative soul’

It will likely be several weeks before authorities know what led to the death of Corrine Episcopo-Daniels, who police found in her Trenton home last week, authorities say.

Officers conducting a welfare check on the 41-year-old at her Park Avenue residence in Villa Park Sept. 21 found her dead in the basement of the house.

The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office’s Homicide Task Force is investigating the discovery as a suspicious death. Further testing from the medical examiner’s office needs to be completed before a cause of death is determined, the prosecutor’s office said Thursday.

Episcopo-Daniels worked for the state’s Office of Information Technology, in the city, for 23 years, her family said.

On social media, numerous friends and people who knew her have been mourning and recalling her in the same vein, as a great friend and colorful person, and her loss has left them heartbroken.

Her family is not surprised by the outpouring. “Corrine was a special person, a good person,” said brother-in-law Fernando Castillo.

Castillo and his wife, Corrine’s sister Megan, urge anyone with information about her death to contact the prosecutor’s office. Detectives can be reached at 609-989-6406 or email mchtftips@mercercounty.org.

Episcopo-Daniels grew up in Hamilton and was a trailblazing young athlete - she was the first girl to play in the 6-11 Little League baseball. As an adult, she studied culinary arts in Philadelphia, she said on her Facebook page.

She loved loved the Dallas Cowboys, shooting pool and listening to music and attending concerts, her obituary says.

“Corrine was a beautiful, creative soul who loved art, tattoos, and baking all types of pastries. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend who will be dearly missed,” it says.

Family and friends will celebrate her life this Sat., Oct. 8, at the Buklad-Merlino Memorial Home, 2141 South Broad Street in Hamilton from 11 a.m. until a 2 p.m. prayer service. Anyone wishing to support a cause in Corrine’s name can do so by donating to Womanspace, in Lawrence, which aids victims of domestic violence.

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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.