Judo star Stephanie set to fly back home

Murder probe after woman’s body found

Judo star Stephanie was in Vietnam teaching English when she was involved in a motorbike accident and suffered head injuries. POLICE have launched a murder investigation after discovering a woman’s body when they called to tell her her partner had been criticallyinjured in a blaze.

Andrena Douglas, 53, was found dead at her home in Crusader Crescent, Stewarton, Ayrshire, at about 6.20am on Thursday.

Officers had gone to inform her that her 50- year- old boyfriend had been badly burned in a caravan fire at Peacockbank Farm, Stewarton, at 5.15am that morning.

Detectives launched the murder probe yesterday following a post mortem on Ms Douglas on Friday.

Detective Inspector Martin Fergus, of Police Scotland’s major investigation teams, said: “While at this time we cannot link Ms Douglas’s death and the fire in which her partner was injured, we also cannot rule it out.

“What we need to do is establish what happened between 8pm on Wednesday June 8, when Ms Douglas was last s e e n, an d 6 am on Thursday when she was found.

“I would appeal to anyone who was in the area, who may have seen any suspicious activity – whether that be a vehicle or someone on foot in the area – to contact police.

“The man injured in the fire is still critically ill in hospital and so far we have been unable to talk to him.”

The cause of the fire is being investigated by police and Scottish Fire and Rescue.

■