The body of a lawyer found dead in her car in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq a month ago has been released for burial but investigators are still at a loss on how she died.

Margaret Mifsud’s funeral will be held in Msida today, almost a month to the day her lifeless body was found on April 19.

An autopsy on the 31-year-old mother-of-two indicated that she might not have died of natural causes, as was initially thought. However, the results were deemed to be inconclusive and the police are still waiting for further test results on samples that were sent to the UK.

The investigations have revolved around her former Libyan partner, Nizar El Gadi, the father of her children with whom she had a troubled relationship. For some time he was being treated as the prime suspect but not any longer because the police did not have enough evidence against him.

Dr Mifsud had reported him to the police accusing him of trying to strangle her. Charges had been filed against him by the police and he is expected to appear in court in June accused of Dr Mifsud’s illegal arrest, slightly injuring her and threatening her on March 24.

However, sources said the police did not have enough evidence to link him to Dr Mifsud’s death and were still unable to determine with certainty whether she had died of a heart attack, as initially thought, or whether she was murdered.

The sources also pointed out that the police had still not ruled out the possibility that a person who could shed some light on the mysterious death eventually turn up.

Dr Mifsud’s handbag was not found in the car, even though colleagues told the police she had a bag during a farewell party in Xemxija the night before. Her mobile phone and purse were also missing.

After dropping a friend off in Buġibba at about 11.30 p.m. on April 18, Dr Mifsud was meant to return to Birkirkara, where she lived with her parents and daughters but she never got home. The following morning, her mother reported her missing and her body was discovered at about 2 p.m. during a routine police patrol.

Her car was parked between some bushes on a dirt road in Baħar Iċ-Ċagħaq in front of the sea and was clearly visible from the Coast Road.

Dr Mifsud was sitting in the driver’s seat and was fully clothed. There were no signs of violence.