Police launch murder probe after 'sudden' death of woman,22, found at home

By Ciaran McGrath, Senior News Reporter

Mary Ward is the 4th pistillate to beryllium murdered successful Northern Ireland successful conscionable six weeks (Image: PSNI)

Police person launched a execution probe pursuing the find of the assemblage of 22-year-old Mary Ward astatine her location connected Melrose Street, Belfast.

Detectives from the Serious Crime Branch person carried retired extended enquiries, which person present led to the ceremonial classification of the lawsuit arsenic a murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Foreman, who is heading the Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts are with Mary’s loved ones, who are understandably devastated and struggling to travel to presumption with this tragic loss.

"Family Liaison Officers, who are specially trained, are moving intimately with the household to enactment them done this incredibly hard time.

“Although the probe is inactive successful its aboriginal stages, we are moving to found the nonstop circumstances surrounding Mary’s death.

"We judge she was past seen live connected Wednesday, September 25, and we are peculiarly keen to perceive from anyone who whitethorn person seen oregon been successful interaction with her astir that time.

“I impulse anyone with immoderate information, nary substance however tiny oregon seemingly insignificant, to delight get successful interaction with america by calling 101. Alternatively, accusation tin beryllium submitted online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.

“Details tin besides beryllium provided anonymously to Crimestoppers connected 0800 555 111 oregon done their website astatine www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

The assemblage was recovered connected October 1. Members of the nationalist tin stock photos and footage, including CCTV, mobile phone, oregon dash cam footage, with constabulary via the Major Incident Public Portal astatine https://mipp.police.uk.

Speaking astir the wider issue, Detective Chief Superintendent Lindsay Fisher, Head of the Public Protection Branch, said: “Mary Ward is the 4th pistillate to beryllium murdered successful Northern Ireland successful conscionable six weeks. This is utterly appalling. Four families person been shattered by senseless violence.

“As a constabulary service, we person precocious revised our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan and adopted the caller nationalist framework, aligning our effect to this unit with that of coercion and superior organised crime. The level of unit and nonaccomplishment successful Northern Ireland demands thing less.

“We are perfectly determined to beryllium relentless successful pursuing the perpetrators of specified crimes.”

The lawsuit has been referred to the Office of the Police Ombudsman pursuing a reappraisal of the police's anterior engagement with Mary.

While determination is nary proposition astatine this signifier of idiosyncratic criminality oregon misconduct, concerns person been raised regarding the organisational response.