GUILTY UK - Linda Hood, 68, found strangled after house fire, Gorleston, Norfolk, 11 June 2021 *ARREST*

[TootsieFootsie]

Inquest opens into woman murdered on coast

The inquest has opened into the death of a woman whose body was found after a fire in a house in Gorleston.

Linda Hood, 68, was found dead inside her home on Cherwell Way on June 11, with inquiries later leading detectives to treat the case as murder.

At the opening of the inquest, heard at Norfolk Coroners Court on Wednesday (June 23), area coroner Yvonne Blake said that the cause of death was compression to the neck.

She said Ms Hood was born in Norwich and was a retired caterer.

The hearing was then adjourned for a pre-inquest review listed for December 3.

 

[JuicyLucy]

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman found dead in flat

This is worth a look just for the extraordinary dullness of the 'action' captured by the Great Yarmouth Mercury's roving reporter.

Great Yarmouth CID (there is one!) are saying this murder isn't currently being considered related to Linda Hood's, but:

• the victim is in her fifties (no name as yet)
  
• police have arrested a man in his thirties who is 'believed to be known to her' on suspicion of murder
  
• police are apparently searching two different locations in relation to this murder, the primary crime scene at Victoria Road and a secondary scene in Blackfriars Road (both in central Gt Yarmouth)

Cause of death currently unascertained, pending PM - which suggests something subtler than blunt or sharp force trauma. Anyone want to join me in putting a fiver on neck compression?

 

[HollyHunter9]

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman found dead in flat

This is worth a look just for the extraordinary dullness of the 'action' captured by the Great Yarmouth Mercury's roving reporter.

Great Yarmouth CID (there is one!) are saying this murder isn't currently being considered related to Linda Hood's, but:

• the victim is in her fifties (no name as yet)
  
• police have arrested a man in his thirties who is 'believed to be known to her' on suspicion of murder
  
• police are apparently searching two different locations in relation to this murder, the primary crime scene at Victoria Road and a secondary scene in Blackfriars Road (both in central Gt Yarmouth)

Cause of death currently unascertained, pending PM - which suggests something subtler than blunt or sharp force trauma. Anyone want to join me in putting a fiver on neck compression?

Nothing much ever happens in these small towns and now 2 murders in 2 weeks! You'd think the local media would be all over it! Very similar circumstances though to Linda!

 

[JuicyLucy]

Nothing much ever happens in these small towns and now 2 murders in 2 weeks! You'd think the local media would be all over it! Very similar circumstances though to Linda!

Well, they are! Or at least they're trying. I particularly liked the picture of the road names.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Reports are that the second death is not suspicious:

A Home Office post mortem examination carried out on Thursday June 24 established the woman died from natural causes.


Death of woman in Great Yarmouth not suspicious

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

image copyrightNorfolk Police
image captionCCTV shows Linda Hood getting off a bus along Brasenose Avenue on 10 June


CCTV images of the last known movements of a woman found dead at her home during a fire have been released by police.

Linda Hood, 68, was discovered by fire crews at her house in Gorleston, Norfolk, on 11 June.

A post-mortem examination concluded she had died from compression to her neck.

Police hope the CCTV footage, which shows Ms Hood getting off a bus along Brasenose Avenue at 13:18 BST on 10 June, will "jog someone's memory".

A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life, and has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Another man in his 50s was also arrested in connection with the investigation and released under investigation.

Norfolk Police said officers were "working to establish the circumstances surrounding her death".

image copyrightNorfolk Police
image captionNorfolk Police said the images were Ms Hood's last known sighting

Det Ch Insp Phill Gray encouraged anyone who may have seen Ms Hood on 10 or 11 June to contact officers.

"I would like to directly appeal to any taxi drivers who may have been working in or around the Magdalen Square or Cherwell Way area of Gorleston between 12:00 on Thursday, 10 June and 09:00 on Friday, 11 June to come forward," he said.

Mr Gray said the force was "aware of concerns amongst the local community" and reassurance patrols would be taking place in the area.

Gorleston murder inquiry: Linda Hood last seen on bus

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

This link as above but contains the actual CCTV live footage

CCTV of strangled Yarmouth woman released as murder probe continues

 

[HollyHunter9]

I said earlier in the thread they should check the buses cctv as it's a really busy bus route. Now seeing her makes it even more baffling as to what the motive was??

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I said earlier in the thread they should check the buses cctv as it's a really busy bus route. Now seeing her makes it even more baffling as to what the motive was??

Money.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Money.

Well I did think this but without meaning to cause offence to anyone but the area she lived in is quite a poor/deprived area, the fact she took the bus shows she perhaps could not afford the costs of owning a car and so I'm not sure if murdering someone would be worth it as she doesn't come across as particularly well off. There are much bigger houses, likely with much more 'money' just around the corner from this area. I get the feeling she was targeted specifically.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I don't know. An elderly lady near me might be mistaken for living on a pension and not having two ha'pennies to rub together outwardly, yet she owns property, and has several large five figure sums of money in different places! So you can't always go by appearances.

She may have been left money by her late husband? Obviously she has the house - unless rented? - and maybe she had had a big lottery or bingo win or similiar that was generally known about?

 

[JuicyLucy]

I don't see money as the motive.

Money means either burglary or theft. Burglary I'd rule out straight away as there seems not to be forced entry, with the police focusing on men who knew her and were let in or otherwise had access. Also, as @HollyHunter9 said, there are richer pickings nearby (although perhaps better protected against burglary too).

Interpersonal theft I could buy, particularly opportunistic theft of cash or jewellery by someone who was in the house anyway, or particularly if there's any suggestion that she had dementia, in which case I would think it might have been a regular occurrence.

But then why kill her? Particularly if it was an open secret that she collected her pension in cash or something, why wouldn't you want to be able to do it all again another time? Or even as a one off, why escalate from petty thief to murderer? And even if it started off as a theft but escalated because she caught someone in the act, for instance, why strangle her? Why not beat her up with her walking stick or stab her with the bread knife?

Strangulation is personal, intimate, usually sexual. Imo, this killer is either a sexually motivated serial killer, or someone who had, or wanted, a sexual relationship with her.

JMO

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Money. Not a burgulary. Someone who knows her. As I have said before, have my suspicions...

 

[HollyHunter9]

Money. Not a burgulary. Someone who knows her. As I have said before, have my suspicions...

Oooh please do share! I'm stumped! I do believe she was targeted, likely by someone she knew I'm just not sure of motive yet. The police haven't mentioned a burglary, she doesn't come across as particularly well off and if someone was stealing from her it's a big leap from theft to murder and as @JuicyLucy said strangulation is often sexually motivated but I'm not entirely convinced of that being a motive either. It's very baffling!

 

[JuicyLucy]

Oh dear, we shall just have to be patient... how dull.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It seems to me that as soon as an image of her was published, people said, in not so many words, that it couldn't be anything like a boyfriend because "they" found her not attractive enough, but they just didn't want to say it. I guess it made them feel a bit shallow.

Well guess what, people are attracted to others of all ages, all sizes, and all manner of looks.

 

[JuicyLucy]

It seems to me that as soon as an image of her was published, people said, in not so many words, that it couldn't be anything like a boyfriend because "they" found her not attractive enough, but they just didn't want to say it. I guess it made them feel a bit shallow.

Well guess what, people are attracted to others of all ages, all sizes, and all manner of looks.

Who said that?

 

[JuicyLucy]

Money. Not a burgulary. Someone who knows her. As I have said before, have my suspicions...

All joking aside, if you have a suspect in mind, should you be taking your suspicions to the police?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Any connection? Wymondham where first suspect was questioned, and another house fire?


Man dies in house fire

 

[JuicyLucy]

Any connection? Wymondham where first suspect was questioned, and another house fire?


Man dies in house fire

Woah, good spot. I guess any link might become more evident once they release his name. And CoD, of course.

Does this affect your theory?