A Serbian woman is helping the police with investigations following the discovery of a dead Englishman in her apartment in St Paul’s Bay on Wednesday night - the second man to die there in eight months.

Police began investigating after an autopsy revealed water in the man's lungs, known as pulmonary oedema, indicative of asphyxia.

The Englishman, 77, also had what at first looked like bruising on his neck, leading investigators to suspect strangulation. This was all but ruled out as it could have simply been blood accumulation under the skin. Even the water in the man's lungs could have a medical explanation, according to sources close to the investigation. The elderly man could have choked naturally.

The strongest element that had led investigators to open a murder investigation was that another elderly man had died in similar circumstances in February.

Sources told the Times of Malta that even on this investigation there is not much to consider it a murder. On that occasion, the 68-year-old man had died in his sleep. No foul play was suspected and an autopsy revealed nothing significant.

The woman, a 45-year-old Serb national, had been the partner of the 68-year-old for some five years. The 77-year-old ended up at her apartment in Triq il-Merluzz, St Paul's Bay after missing a flight back home. Sources said the woman duly reported the death to the authorities on Wednesday. An ambulance was sent to the apartment and the man was declared dead.

The Criminal Investigations Department is investigating the case. Magistrate Aaron Bugeja is also conducting an inquiry with the help of court experts.

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