Woman killed and dumped at sea

An unidentified woman in her 20s was murdered early yesterday morning and thrown into the sea at Sliema.

Briefing the press about the case, the police said the woman had a black garbage bag round her head but it is not clear whether she was asphyxiated by the bag or whether the bag was placed round her head after she was killed.

The police are seeking to identify the woman and have released a photograph of her so that anyone who has any information about the case can assist in the identification.

Investigating officers suspect the woman is a foreigner because there were no locals in that age group reported missing.

An autopsy carried out yesterday morning showed strangulation marks around her neck.

The woman also had some bruises on her face, which could have resulted from being hit with a blunt object. The bruises could have been caused by blows.

The police said the woman's hand and legs were not bound and she was barefoot.

It is not clear yet whether the woman was thrown off the shore or off a boat.

It appears, however, that the woman was killed at around 6 a.m. The body was recovered from the sea close to the Chalet in Sliema shortly after 7.30 a.m. by a crew from an Armed Forces patrol boat and taken to Haywharf. The woman was wearing a black top and cropped jeans. Army divers could not scan the seabed for clues related to the woman's identity or to the crime because of rough seas.

The police had earlier received two phone calls about a body floating off Qui-Si-Sana. The district and mobile squad police confirmed there was a body at sea and they in turn informed the army who recovered the body. The corpse was some 50 metres off the shore.

Assistant Commissioner Emanuel Cassar, Inspectors Chistopher Pullicino, John Ellul and Daniel Zammit are conducting investigations.

Clinical forensic physician Mario Scerri has been appointed by the court to assist in the inquiry.

This is the first confirmed murder in 16 months. The last murder was that of Brian Rosso, committed in November 2005. His body too had been dumped at sea but it has not yet been recovered. Two people have been charged with Mr Rosso's murder.

The police are appealing to anyone who might have any information about the woman to phone confidentially on 2122 1111.