UK - Julia James, 53, murdered, Snowdown, Kent, 27 April 2021 *ARREST*

[Alyce]

Detectives have today launched a murder probe after a female PCSO was found dead 'with her Jack Russell by her side' on a secluded pathway where she often walked the faithful dog in Kent.

The body of Julia James, 53, was found on the edge of Akholt Wood in Snowdown, near Aylesham, shortly after 4pm on Tuesday.

Kent Police has since launched a murder investigation in the wake of the unexplained death, which is understood to have taken place yesterday afternoon as the married mother-of-two walked her dog.



Woman is found dead on footpath in Kent village sparking huge police response | Daily Mail Online

 

[Alyce]

Sean Simmonds, who lives opposite the semi-detached, three-bedroom home Mrs James shares with her husband Paul, said he saw her leave the house to walk her dog at 3pm yesterday but did not see her return.

She was found dead an hour later on a bridle path on the edge of Ackholt Wood and fields off the Aylesham Road area of Snowdown, a former coal mining town close to Dover.


Woman is found dead on footpath in Kent village sparking huge police response | Daily Mail Online

 

[Skigh]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14789525/pcso-was-murdered-cops-dog-stayed-body/

 

[Alyce]

.
Officers were called shortly after 4pm on Tuesday 27 April to Akholt Wood in the Aylesham Road area of Snowdown where the body of a woman, aged 53 was found.
The victim is a serving Kent Police PCSO Julia James.

No arrests have been made at this time but detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are conducting enquiries to establish the circumstances and her death is being treated as suspicious.
Officers are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 April who may have seen something unusual or suspicious. They are urged to contact Kent Police on 0800 0514 526. Anyone with video footage can submit it online.

Assistant Chief Constable of Kent Police Tom Richards said: ‘Officers are carrying out a number of lines of enquiry to establish the circumstances and people in the Snowdown area will see an increased police presence as a result.

‘It saddens me to confirm that the victim was a serving PCSO for Kent Police and whilst there is a full and thorough investigation underway our thoughts also remain with her family, friends and colleagues.
‘It is vitally important that anyone who was in the area on Monday and Tuesday who may have seen something suspicious gets in touch with us. We’re particularly keen to speak to those who regularly visit the area who may have seen something out of place and those who drove by who have dashcam footage.
‘We would advise people in the area to remain vigilant until the full circumstances of the death are established.’


Kent Police

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Murdered while she walked her dog: Police launch hunt for killer as 'off-duty' PCSO, 53, is found dead 'with her faithful Jack Russell by her side' on secluded pathway where they walked in leafy Kent hamlet


Detectives have today launched a murder probe after a female PCSO was found dead 'with her Jack Russell by her side' on a secluded pathway where she often walked the faithful dog.

The body of Julia James, 53, was found on the edge of Akholt Wood in Snowdown, near Aylesham, Kent, shortly after 4pm on Tuesday.

One local said he was told Mrs James' body was found alongside the Jack Russell, who 'stayed with her' until police arrived. The serving PCSO for Kent Police was pronounced dead at the scene.

The path where her body was found is just two and a half miles from Cherry Garden Lane in the neighbouring village of Chillenden, Kent, where Lin Russell was murdered alongside her daughter Megan in July 1996.

Woman is found dead on footpath in Kent village sparking huge police response | Daily Mail Online

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

PCSO Julia James wrote beautiful poem about Aylesham before her death

Julia James, a police community support officer, was found dead on a path not far from her home in the hamlet of Snowdown, near Dover.

The body of Julia James, 53, was discovered yesterday (April 27) in Aylesham, and has sparked a police investigation in the village near Dover.

Julia's death has shocked residents in the village, who have described her as a "very nice, very kind" person.

PCSO wrote beautiful poem about Kent village now 'shocked' by her death

 

[Sherlock'sBlonde]

This is horrific! Poor woman RIP

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Detectives are investigating the "suspicious" death of a serving police community support officer (PCSO) who has been found dead in Kent.

Officers are trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the death of 53-year-old Julia James.

Police were called shortly after 4pm on Tuesday to Akholt Wood in the Aylesham Road area of Snowdown, where her body was found.

No arrests have yet been made as inquiries continue, Kent Police said.

Kent: Police investigate 'suspicious' death of serving PCSO Julia James

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) tweeted at 1:06 pm on Wed, Apr 28, 2021:

Pls RT - We are appealing for witnesses after the body of a woman was found in Snowdown on Tuesday, 27 April. The victim has been named as serving Kent Police PCSO Julia James.

Witnesses sought following death of a woman near Dover
(https://twitter.com/kent_police/status/1387377629205078018?s=03)

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

[Video link]

Simon Jones (@SimonJonesNews) tweeted at 5:43 pm on Wed, Apr 28, 2021:

The police say they are treating the death of Kent PCSO Julia James as murder. https://t.co/CjW7RjpONl

(https://twitter.com/SimonJonesNews/status/1387447416547315720?s=03)

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

No arrests have been made at this time but detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are conducting enquiries to establish the circumstances and her death is being treated as suspicious.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 April who may have seen something unusual or suspicious. They are urged to contact Kent Police on 0800 0514 526. Anyone with video forage [sic] can submit it online.

Major investigation: Kent PCSO found dead in village | ITV News

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards said: "Whilst there is a full and thorough investigation under way our thoughts also remain with her family, friends and colleagues.

"We're particularly keen to speak to those who regularly visit the area who may have seen something out of place and those who drove by who have dashcam footage."

He said people in the Snowdown area will see an increased police presence as inquiries continue.

He advised people in the area to "remain vigilant" until the full circumstances of the death are established.

Murder inquiry as PCSO found dead in woods - BBC News

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A Police Community Support Officer found dead on a path near a village has been pictured for the first time as local community reels in shock.

Police confirmed earlier today that the body of Julia James, 53, was discovered on a small footpath in Snowdown near Aylesham yesterday.

Kent Police are treating her death as suspicious and have urged people in the area to "remain vigilant".

Mrs James, who lived in Aylesham, was a "people person" and a mum-of-two, Kent Online reported. She became a PCSO in 2007.

PCSO found dead on woodland footpath pictured as police probe 'suspicious' death

 

[Skigh]

Death of female PCSO, 53, found on woodland path now being treated as murder

This article has a short video of the area where they are searching for clues.

 

[Skigh]

Woman is found dead on footpath in Kent village sparking huge police response | Daily Mail Online


The mail have up dated their article.


I used to talk to her about her job quite a bit, she said she was a PCSO who was mainly office and worked with victims of domestic violence. She liked her job very much.

'She was always quite upbeat and cheerful. When we did stop to chat it tended to be about our work because we both work for the emergency services so there was some common ground. I know she had worked from home mainly over the last year or so because of the pandemic.'

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

James, 53, who became a PCSO in 2007 and is also a grandmother, is thought to have been walking her dog. It is understood that she worked in the force’s domestic violence unit.

Police refused to say whether she was off duty when she died. Detectives from the serious crime directorate are investigating and no arrests have been made.

Julia James: PCSO found dead in remote Snowdown woodland was murdered, say police | News | The Times

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Sean Simmonds, who lives opposite the semi-detached, three-bedroom home Mrs James shares with her husband Paul, said he saw her leave the house to walk her dog at 3pm yesterday but did not see her return.

She was found dead an hour later on a bridleway on the edge of Ackholt Wood and fields off the Aylesham Road area of Snowdown, a former coal mining town close to Dover.

It is understood Mrs James had been working from home and had taken her dog out for a walk afterwards.

Mr Simmonds, 57, said he was told by police that the small dog 'stayed with' Mrs James following her death and was found alongside the grandmother's body.

It remains unclear how Mrs James died, but a post mortem is due to be held to establish her cause of death.

Woman is found dead on footpath in Kent village sparking huge police response | Daily Mail Online


If only Toby the dog could talk...

 

[JuicyLucy]

James, 53, who became a PCSO in 2007 and is also a grandmother, is thought to have been walking her dog. It is understood that she worked in the force’s domestic violence unit.

Police refused to say whether she was off duty when she died. Detectives from the serious crime directorate are investigating and no arrests have been made.

Julia James: PCSO found dead in remote Snowdown woodland was murdered, say police | News | The Times

Lots to work with here. A pretty tiny time window for the murder to have taken place in and a serving PCSO working in the DV unit? I would think there are some names of people known to LE who are zinging their way up to the top of the suspect list as we speak.

I wish I could be confident it wasn't 'just' a random attack though. This is the kind of scenario most (all?) women are scared of happening every time they go out for a walk or a run alone. Just as an example, look at this recent social media thread to get an idea of how universal an experience it is for women out dogwalking alone to be/feel threatened:
Do men know this is creepy? | Mumsnet

As a PCSO, I wonder if she felt confident to stand her ground with an everyday predator, with tragic consequences.

JMO

 

[annpats]

I'll be interested to hear the cause of death. I'm presuming strangulation from behind, or a heavy blow to the back of the head.
I don't really get a feeling of a random killing, so think she may have been targeted and someone was watching her.
If she took her dog out at the same time everyday, on the same route, it would be easy to plan the attack.

 

[MrsWatson]

Knowing that she worked in DV in such a small community rang the alarm bells for me, as well.

Horrible tragedy.

May justice be swift.