Detectives from PSNI’s Major Investigation Team have launched a murder inquiry after the body of a 61 year old woman was found at an address off Main Street in Limavady yesterday afternoon (Friday 23 April).
Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: “Around 2.45pm yesterday, police received a report of a sudden death of a woman at a flat in the Lodge Court area of the town. Police and NIAS attended the scene.
“A post mortem was carried out today (Saturday 24 April) which established the victim died as a result of a number of blows to the head. Her name was Ludmila Poletelova. She was a Latvian national who had lived and worked in the town for a number of years. Her family have been informed and our family liaison officers are supporting them at what is obviously a shocking and horrific time for them.
“The victim had not been seen by friends or neighbours since Monday (19 April) and so we are working on retracing her movements over recent days and scouring CCTV footage from shops and businesses in the area.
“I am making an urgent appeal to the public for information. Were you walking or driving in the Main Street area of Limavady any time between last Monday morning, 19th April and the afternoon of Friday 23rd April? If you were and you have dashcam footage or saw any suspicious or unusual activity in the area, it is vitally important that you get in touch with police.
“This was a vicious attack on a woman in her own home – a place where she should have been safe and secure. I want to reassure the local community that we are working round the clock to apprehend the perpetrator.
“Members of the public will see a greater police presence in the area as a team of detectives carries out investigations close to the property and in Limavady town centre, today and over the weekend. We will have more officers on the ground and mobile patrols in the area.
"You can contact us with information by calling 101 and quoting reference number 1073 of 23/4/21.You can also make a report online, using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information that will assist the investigation to contact us on the non-emergency number 101. Information can also be passed anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.