Canada- Hamilton, Ontario police appeal for help locating next-of-kin for murder victim, Barbara Church, 77, 8 August '24

[dotr]

Aug 12 '24

Hamilton police appeal for help locating next-of-kin for murder victim

Hamilton police say that they have been unable to locate the next-of-kin for a 77-year-old woman who was murdered inside her apartment last week.

www.cp24.com

''Police responded to the building on Ottawa Street near Main Street on Aug. 8 after neighbours expressed concern that an occupant in one of the units hadn’t been seen for several days.

Police say that upon arrival emergency responders encountered a barricaded door and had to force their way inside the unit.

They then located the resident deceased on a bed with an apparent stab wound.

A second individual was also found deceased in the unit from a self-inflicted injury, police say.

In a news release issued on Monday, police identified the victim as Barbara Church and the other deceased party as Derek Emmons.''

 

[dotr]

rbbm

Hamilton senior found dead in apartment was stabbed by neighbour in murder-suicide: Hamilton police

Police have been unable to find family of 77-year-old victim

www.thestar.com

''At a press conference Monday, Det. Frank De Vuono wouldn’t say if Church was the victim of a random or premeditated attack and noted police continue to look for a motive in her death. He said Church shared no relation with her alleged killer.
“I can tell you they were not in a romantic relationship,” he said. “They were not known to each other.”
Church had been living at the three-storey walk-up at 112 Ottawa St. N. for at least six months before Emmons moved into a basement unit across the hall in July, according to police.
While De Vuono couldn’t answer “if they had interacted with each other in the month that (Emmons) resided there,” he said Church knew “the other tenant there.”
''Police said the roommate was found on Barton Street, east of Ottawa Street, in medical distress on Saturday, Aug. 3. ''

''Following the tragic discovery, police say they have made attempts to contact Church’s family but have not been able to locate any next of kin.“It’s really hard to find a motive with no information … with regards to a prior relationship or any kind of tension between the two, it’s really hard to find a motive,” Det. Sgt. Frank De Vuono said.“I am hoping through review of the digital evidence we will be able to find something and be able to give the victim’s [family] an idea … of why this happened.”Police could not comment on exactly how Emmons committed suicide and say that they do not believe there are any additional suspects related to this incident'.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

More about Derek Emmons, 51, the suspected murder suspect, a neighbor of Barbara Church.
Murder Suicide explained.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-police-ottawa-street-two-dead-update-1.7292427

 

[FromGermany1]

First thought: Bio-mother and her quasi unknown, once adopted son? 77yo and 51yo would be fitting.
MOO

 

[nhmemorymaker]

First thought: Bio-mother and her quasi unknown, once adopted son? 77yo and 51yo would be fitting.
MOO

hopefully we will find out more.
Seems as if he was a very talented guy.