Filmmaker found in shallow grave in her garden was strangled
A FILM-MAKER whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in her garden had been strangled, a post-mortem examination has found.
The body of 34-year-old Laureline Garcia-bertaux was found buried in Kew, south-west London, after she was reported missing from work. She was last seen alive on Saturday March 2 at a supermarket near her home in the Manor Circus area of Richmond.
Scotland Yard said a post-mortem examination gave a cause of death as “consistent with compression of the neck”. Toxicology tests are pending.
Police urged anyone who saw or communicated with the French PR worker between March 2 and Wednesday, when her body was found, to contact them.
Det Chief Insp Simon Harding said: “This may have been via phone calls, text messages, Whatsapp or via any other social media platform. Laureline was known to local people as she walked her two dogs each day.” Detectives are pursuing a number of lines.
Neighbours described Ms Garciabertaux as someone who “kept herself to herself”. One of her friends, Daniel Hughes, 27, said she had been due to meet with a “charismatic” vet for a coffee on March 3. She was reported missing after failing to turn up for work at PR firm Golin.
Originally from Aix-en-provence, France, she had worked with Dame Joan Collins on the 2018 short film
Gerry, with the actress saying she was “shocked by the horrifying news”.
Hester Ruoff, a producer and actress friend, said they had been due to start production on a new film next month.