WALTHAMSTOW: Woman beaten to death in graveyard (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAMSTOW: Woman beaten to death in graveyard

11:10am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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A WOMAN whose body was found in a churchyard was was the victim of a frenzied attack.

The body of the Melita Jo, 53, was discovered by a passer-by on Tuesday morning in the grounds of St Mary's Church in Walthamstow Village.

A post mortem revealed her murderer beat her repeatedly and the cause of death was blunt trauma to the head and body.

Mrs Jo had been sleeping rough in the area for some time.

She is from the Philippines and had been living in the church grounds.

Det Chief Insp Macdonald, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a disgraceful and cowardly attack.

"Melita was a Filipino lady of slight build, and she has received very severe injuries from a sustained beating.

"She could not have defended herself and we do not know the motive for this.

"Although she was homeless, Melita was a religious lady, and was not a drinker or drugs abuser and was no harm to anyone.

"I urge anyone who was in and around the area of St Mary's Churchyard on Monday evening and Tuesday morning who may have heard or seen anything suspicious to contact us and assist this investigation.

"It is particularly important to get an idea when Melita was last seen alive.

"The attack could have happened anytime up until the time she was found at 8am on Tuesday."

"I would also like to speak to anyone who knew Melita who can shed light on her background to contact us.

"We do not know of any relations that she had in this country and are unable to identify close friends because she appears to have been a very private woman".

Walthamstow Village resident Karen Newstead said: I saw this women alive in the churchyard yesterday (Monday) and some of last week.

"Yesterday she had acquired a broom, and was sweeping up leaves into neat piles around the bench where she was sleeping.

"She had new green wellies on and a decent blue coat and a scarf wrapped round her face.

"She had been sleeping there on the bench for a week or so with a blue sleeping bag and a tartan umbrella for rain cover.

"The other day I saw her with two sticks walking around the yard trying to detect magnetic fields.

"I was going to ask why she was there the other day, and tell her it was a dodgy spot to hang out.

"Now she has been murdered, it is dreadful."

Anyone with information is asked to call Chingford CID on 0208 345 3985 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

There have been no arrests.

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