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| Sex motive probed in murder hunt | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Police investigating the murder of a young woman in County Antrim have said a sexual motive is one of their main lines of inquiry. | |
| Shirley Finlay, 24, from Crebilly Road, Ballymena, was found strangled in Mount Street car park on 19 September. | Shirley Finlay, 24, from Crebilly Road, Ballymena, was found strangled in Mount Street car park on 19 September. |
| Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen her in the Harryville area on Monday 18 September with a tall, dark haired man in his late 20s/early 30s. | Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen her in the Harryville area on Monday 18 September with a tall, dark haired man in his late 20s/early 30s. |
| They are also looking for her footwear and her jeans or black track bottoms. | They are also looking for her footwear and her jeans or black track bottoms. |
| Detective Chief Inspector Tom Woods said the response to the initial police appeal for information had been good, but detectives needed to find out more about Ms Finlay's last movements. | Detective Chief Inspector Tom Woods said the response to the initial police appeal for information had been good, but detectives needed to find out more about Ms Finlay's last movements. |
| He said police still had an open mind as to the motive for the death, but added: "A sexual motive is very much a main line of enquiry." | |
| He added: "Shirley was found wrapped in a duvet in Mount Street car park with a grey fleece, but we don't know where her shoes and trousers are. | |
| "If they've been dumped somewhere, we need to find them. | |
| Appeal | Appeal |
| "We have also had a number of sightings of her in the Harryville area with a tall, slim man with dark hair. We need this man to come forward." | "We have also had a number of sightings of her in the Harryville area with a tall, slim man with dark hair. We need this man to come forward." |
| Police have printed posters and leaflets with Ms Finlay's photograph to raise public awareness. | Police have printed posters and leaflets with Ms Finlay's photograph to raise public awareness. |
| A mobile police station is also in operation at the Mount Street car park where her body was found. | A mobile police station is also in operation at the Mount Street car park where her body was found. |
| Inspector Woods said that in the photograph issued of Ms Finlay, she has dark hair. But when she was last seen alive, her hair had been dyed blonde. | Inspector Woods said that in the photograph issued of Ms Finlay, she has dark hair. But when she was last seen alive, her hair had been dyed blonde. |
| She was five ft tall, of slim to average build and was wearing a grey fleece, black trouser bottoms and, possibly, trainers. | She was five ft tall, of slim to average build and was wearing a grey fleece, black trouser bottoms and, possibly, trainers. |
| Ms Finlay has been described as a woman who had mental health problems and who regularly walked alone in Ballymena. | Ms Finlay has been described as a woman who had mental health problems and who regularly walked alone in Ballymena. |
| Police have described her murder as "brutal". | Police have described her murder as "brutal". |
| She would have celebrated her 25th birthday last Friday. | She would have celebrated her 25th birthday last Friday. |