Woman, 50, murdered in San Ġwann

A 50-year-old mother of three was found murdered in a pool of blood at her residence in the Mensija area of San Ġwann yesterday afternoon.

The circumstances of Theresa Grech's death were still unclear by the evening as the police remained tight-lipped.

But sources said the woman's 15-year-old daughter is helping the police in their investigations.

A search for her had earlier been launched in connection with the murder and she was traced some time later in Gżira.

The police were open to the possibility that another person was involved in the case, the sources added.

Villa Samara in Sebuqa Street was swarming with uniformed police and forensic experts soon after the police were informed of the woman's death.

Neighbours said Ms Grech's lifeless body was discovered soon after they noticed her nine-year-old daughter returning home from school with her satchel and sitting on a bench outside the house.

Soon after, a number of police officers arrived and later a man, described by neighbours as the girl's father, took the girl away. They also led a dog away from the house, a neighbour said.

Apart from the girls aged nine and 15, Ms Grech was the mother of a man in his early 20s.

There were conflicting reports as to the murder weapon used. In fact no weapon was found at the murder scene. A post mortem will be held this morning. The police said in a statement that they received information at about 3.30 p.m. that there was the corpse of a woman inside a residence in San Ġwann.

Policemen who went to the house got no answer so they entered through a balcony. They came upon the lifeless body in the bedroom.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi is holding an inquiry into the homicide, the first this year.

The investigating officers on site included assistant commissioners Pierre Calleja and Paul Sammut, inspectors John C. Ellul from the forensic division and other senior officers.

They were assisted by forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici, forensic physician Mario Scerri and architect Richard Aquilina.