The murder of a London-born artist while she house-sat for friends was described today as “a complete mystery” as police revealed she died from “significant” head injuries.
Valerie Graves, 55, was battered to death in a £1.6 million house in Bosham, West Sussex, a seaside village that featured in an episode of crime drama Midsomer Murders.
Ms Graves planned to celebrate the New Year with family and friends and detectives have been questioning as witnesses her sister Janet, 60, brother-in-law Nigel Acres, 59, and mother Eileen, 87, who are believed to have been in the house when she was attacked.
Ms Graves was a graduate of London Metropolitan University and recently moved from Scotland to nearby Bracklesham Bay to look after her frail mother.
She was found by a relative who called emergency services on Monday at 9.50am. Ernie Mears, 80, a close friend of Ms Graves’ mother, said of the murder: “It’s a complete mystery.”
Police were today examining the house, which is owned by 66-year-old millionaire Malcolm Chamberlain and his wife Caroline, 63, who are believed to have been on holiday in Costa Rica with their two children.
Yesterday, police questioned Ms Graves’ former boyfriend Roy Wood but he was not arrested or cautioned. Mr Wood, 65, who lives near Brighton, is the father of her two grown-up children. A former music sound engineer, he toured Europe with artists including Donovan and Cockney Rebel.
Police appealed for witnesses to suspicious activity in the area from 5pm on Sunday December 29.
