Stabbed at the shelter Woman, 28, found dead in

Suspected murder-suicide

A WOMAN was stabbed to death in an apparent murdersuicide at a supported housing complex for ‘vulnerable’ women.

Police were called to the flat on Saturday night by the victim’s distraught brother, who said he had been called by the terrified woman as she was being attacked by a man.

Yesterday a neighbour told how she helped police gain entry to the one-bedroom flat, and saw the 28year- old woman’s body on the lounge floor. The body of a man, also 28, was slumped behind the front door. The neighbour, who asked not to be identified, added: ‘I can’t get the sight of those bodies out of my mind. The police thought the door was chained at first because they were having such difficulty getting in. But the reason became apparent after they finally forced the door open – the man was on the floor right behind the door.

‘There was a large slash wound across his throat – it was horrific.’

The neighbour said the victim was known as ‘Sam’ and spoke with a foreign accent. The man police believe killed her was thought to be Somalian, and was described as a ‘regular visitor’ to the flat.

The neighbour said the couple had followed her into the converted Edwardian townhouse in Moseley, Birmingham, just two hours before she was confronted by the horrific scene. ‘They seemed happy enough,’ she added. ‘They were smiling – I went into my flat and they went into theirs opposite me.

‘I didn’t hear any screaming or shouting at all – I only realised there was a problem when her brother turned up with the police.’

She said the brother had turned up at the property a short time earlier, begging to be let in.

‘He was ringing all of the buzzers saying his sister was in there and he had heard her screaming (on the phone), but I didn’t know who he was so I didn’t let him in until he came back with the police. Then I took them to the housing office to get a spare set of keys.

‘I feel terrible for ignoring the brother now.’

Another neighbour said the victim moved in six months ago, adding: ‘She was lovely. She didn’t deserve this.’

Neighbour Diana West, 77, said the flats were used to accommodate ‘vulnerable women’, adding: ‘It’s very quiet normally.’

Yesterday, West Midlands Police confirmed that the pair were known to each other but did not live together, and said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

A 52-year- old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a death at a country pub.

Police were called at 3.30am yesterday to reports of an incident at the 15th century Magpie pub in Little Stonham, Suffolk, in which a woman in her 40s died.

‘I can’t get the sight out of my mind’