A male suspect, aged 28, has been brought into custody under the impression that he is the perpetrator behind a woman’s brutal murder and subsequent flat fire that occurred in Derry over the past weekend. The individual is currently undergoing questioning in the Musgrave Serious Crime Suite.
On Monday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) identified the victim as 65-year-old Montserrat Martorell Elias. Mrs Martorell Elias’s deceased body was located in the ground-floor flat’s bedroom on Harvey Street, close to the city centre, following a call about a fire within the premises around 4.15am on Saturday, 24th of August.
The PSNI initiated a murder investigation after Mrs Martorell Elias was discovered with multiple wounds and was declared dead at the scene. Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Kelly, in an update provided earlier on Monday, confirmed that the initial investigation suggests that the victim was subjected to an appalling attack. He stated: “Our team of detectives are putting in all efforts to establish the exact sequence of events”.
Ahead of further questioning, he referred to an individual they are aiming to speak to; a Caucasian man, probably in his 30s, dressed in a grey hoody jacket, a pair of blue jeans and trainers, and a light-coloured shirt, who was observed around the area between 1am and 2am.
The Detective cautioned against rumours circulating online. While appreciating the public’s assistance, he emphasised the negative impacts speculative statements could have for both the family of the victim and the course of judicial proceedings. He implored those engaging in speculation to desist and warned that any potentially prejudicial online posts will be looked into.
The senior officer expressed his sympathies to the close acquaintances and family of the victim, particularly those residing in Spain who are attempting to comprehend their tragic loss. He stated that the investigation is at its early stages and pleaded for information from the public, emphasising that even seemingly insignificant details could be of critical importance to the detectives.