BOSTON -- Friends and relatives of Imette St. Guillen, 24 gathered on Friday to pay their respects to the graduate student who was found dead in New York City.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that hundreds gathered at the Gormley Funeral Home, as detectives continue to search for clues in the gruesome murder case.

The wake started at 4 p.m., but many people arrived at the funeral home early. St. Guillen's older sister was one of the first to arrive. The farewell came just hours after New York police officers gathered in a Brooklyn lot where St. Guillen's body was found last weekend. Officials conducted a search of the area.

St. Guillen had just returned from a vacation trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before she was killed in New York City on Feb. 25. In one of the last photographs taken of St. Guillen, she holds a postcard that reads, "I love New York."

Her naked, battered body was found wrapped in a bedspread in a deserted area of Brooklyn. The corpse was found after someone called 911 anonymously from a public phone outside a diner to tell police where it was located.

The New York Post reported the brief exchange with the tipster Friday.

Operator: "Hello, 911"

Caller: "I think there's a body over at Fountain and Seaview."

Operator: "How do you know? What did you see?"

Caller: "It looks like a body. You should send someone to take a look at it."

After the brief exchange, the caller hung up, police said.

In a statement the family expressed their gratitude saying, "We are so appreciative it is beyond words. We are especially grateful because this reward may help to bring forward more individuals who may have seen something or have information that can help make sure that his devastation does not happen to another family or community."

St. Guillen's funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning in West Roxbury.