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Betty Yates murder: Letters sent to police | Betty Yates murder: Letters sent to police |
(40 minutes later) | |
Two anonymous letters have been sent to police investigating the murder of a former teacher in Worcestershire. | Two anonymous letters have been sent to police investigating the murder of a former teacher in Worcestershire. |
Betty Yates, 77, was found stabbed in her cottage by the River Severn in Bewdley, Worcestershire. | Betty Yates, 77, was found stabbed in her cottage by the River Severn in Bewdley, Worcestershire. |
West Mercia Police said the letters have given them two new lines of inquiry. | West Mercia Police said the letters have given them two new lines of inquiry. |
Police also want to speak to a man in his 20s seen walking near Mrs Yates' cottage on 2 January - the night police believe she was murdered. | Police also want to speak to a man in his 20s seen walking near Mrs Yates' cottage on 2 January - the night police believe she was murdered. |
Det Ch Insp Neil Jamieson said he does not believe the typewritten letters were sent by the same person. | Det Ch Insp Neil Jamieson said he does not believe the typewritten letters were sent by the same person. |
He said: "The letters give different information - I do not believe they have been written by the same person and I appeal for both those persons to come forward." | |
He said one letter was delivered to a local police station through the mail, the other was sent to the major investigation unit. | |
Detectives are also trying to find a man who was spotted close to the scene on the night Mrs Yates was killed. | |
A driver reported seeing a man in his 20s wearing a thigh-length dark-coloured jacket walking alone at about 20:30 GMT. | |
Det Ch Insp Jamieson said: "We are keen to speak to that man in the strictest confidence." | Det Ch Insp Jamieson said: "We are keen to speak to that man in the strictest confidence." |
Police said they have removed the cordon leading from the riverside cottage to Dowles Road after search teams finished combing surrounding fields and woodland. | Police said they have removed the cordon leading from the riverside cottage to Dowles Road after search teams finished combing surrounding fields and woodland. |
Purse still missing | Purse still missing |
Forensic work will be continuing in the cottage "for some time", police said. | Forensic work will be continuing in the cottage "for some time", police said. |
Mrs Yates was beaten with her own walking stick and then stabbed in the neck. | Mrs Yates was beaten with her own walking stick and then stabbed in the neck. |
Her walking stick and the knife used have since been recovered. | Her walking stick and the knife used have since been recovered. |
Officers are still searching for Mrs Yates's keys, which were attached to a black, pencil case-sized purse. | Officers are still searching for Mrs Yates's keys, which were attached to a black, pencil case-sized purse. |