Her sister, Denise, who was in town with their mother from New York City, picked up a giant posterboard collage of pictures.

"This is my sister," she said, her eyes moist as she smoothed her palm across the events of a lost life.

Cliff Sosin, who has offered a $10,000 reward for information that might lead to his wife's killer, wanted to check with Montgomery County police detectives working the case before saying any more.

In the meantime, Montgomery County investigators working Rockville's fifth homicide since 1994 are on a different kind of autopilot.

The same afternoon Cliff Sosin was preparing to say goodbye to his wife's family for the time being, officers released more information to solicit the public's help.

They are searching for information on a woman seen leaving the Rockville consignment shop on the afternoon that Sosin was found murdered and the building ablaze.

The woman is described as black, 30 to 40 years old, with a large build. She was wearing a black puffy coat, perhaps filled with down, with a hemline above the knee and a black pill-box-style hat with earflaps. The woman was carrying several shopping bags, and appeared to be known by the victim, said police, who think she might know more of the incident.

The Feb. 8 blaze, discovered by fire officials around 3 p.m., had been set, county fire officials said. The fire also severely damaged the historic Burbank's luncheonette next door.

Sosin's autopsy report determined that she died of "multiple stabbing and cutting wounds," said Cindy Feldstein, a secretary in the state medical examiner's office.

Cliff Sosin "does not appear to be a suspect," Montgomery County police spokesman Officer Derek Baliles said Tuesday.

Call Montgomery County Police at 240-773-5070 or Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 800-673-2777.Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the identity, arrest and indictment of the suspect or suspects.