Man held over Bosham house-sitter murder

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/15/man-arrested-murder-valerie-graves-bosham

Version 0 of 1.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested over the murder of a grandmother who was killed while house-sitting for friends, Sussex police have said.

Valerie Graves, 55, was found dead in the seaside village of Bosham, in West Sussex, which once featured in TV crime drama Midsomer Murders.

Officers said she was found on the morning of 30 December by a relative in the bedroom she had slept in. A post-mortem examination revealed she had suffered significant head and facial injuries, but detectives have not confirmed whether or not a weapon had been used.

She and her family were looking after the house while the owners were away over Christmas. Her son Tim Wood previously paid tribute to his mother and pleaded for information about the killing. "My mum was much loved and will be sorely missed by the whole family. She was a free spirit who enjoyed her life and was a talented artist," he said. The arrested man is being held in custody, police said.

Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.