19/01/99 - Basildon rocked by two killings (Re: Emma O'Mahoneys Mother)
Evening Echo

A south Essex town was today rocked by two murders after the bodies of a mother and a man in his 20s were found in separate incidents.

Detectives were today investigating the attacks, but ruled out a link.

A man and woman from Basildon were being questioned by Metropolitan police officers in London after a man was found dead in the back of a car.

In the second case a mother in her 40s was found dead in her home in Basildon.

In the other incident the man had been picked up in Whitmore Way, Basildon, and taken to London to see relatives.

The man, who has not been named, was found by the pair slumped in the back of their car in Walthamstow, east London, with stab wounds to the arm, buttocks and ankle.

He was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, but was pronounced dead on arrival. It is not known whether the stab wounds were fatal.

Detectives stressed the couple being questioned had not been arrested.

A police spokesman said: "His friends said they received a call from him telling them he wanted to visit relatives in London.

"They drove him there and said they found him unconscious.

"We are treating this as murder."

Detectives said the man was picked up in an H-registration red Peugeot 205.

They appealed to anyone who saw car or the couple to contact Basildon police on 01268 532212.

In the second case, paramedics were called to Landermere at 5.15am by a man from the same address.

They found the woman unconscious at the bottom of a set of stairs.

Attempts to revive her at Basildon Hospital failed and she was pronounced dead. A police spokesman said the woman's injuries were extensive.

She said: "The woman had head injuries and quite heavy bruising. Until a post mortem is done we are not sure whether they were caused by her falling down the stairs or by her being hit."

A middle-aged man from the same address is helping police with their inquiries.

A neighbour said she believed the woman's first husband died in tragic circumstances six years ago - by falling down a flight of stairs.

She said: "He fell down the stairs and died about six or seven years ago.

"I was very surprised to hear what happened. We only saw her to say hello to. She had two lovely daughters who we used to see walking down the road looking very smart."

A police spokesman said: "At this stage both these incidents are being treated as murder.

"One came in about 20 minutes after the other so Basildon police are pretty busy at the moment."