Police are appealing for help to identify an elderly woman found murdered and concealed inside a bin bag in a Liverpool park.
A member of the public discovered the victim on Friday afternoon at around 5.25pm in Stanley Park, which is situated in the Anfield area of the city. The black bag containing the remains was located within a walled garden near the Isla Gladstone conservatory.
Merseyside Police believe the woman was in her 70s, but they have not yet been able to establish her identity. A post-mortem examination has taken place, although detectives are keeping the cause of death private for "investigative reasons".
Investigators revealed that the body had been lying undiscovered for "a number of weeks". The location is a prominent public space that sits directly between Anfield stadium, the home of Liverpool Football Club, and Goodison Park, the former ground of rival team Everton.
The 110-acre park is a busy urban green space that opened in the 19th century and features formal gardens and lakes. It is heavily used by joggers, dog walkers, and children enjoying the summer holidays, making the delayed discovery of the body highly unusual.
Fresh police appeal
Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson is leading the murder investigation for Merseyside Police. The force is the territorial police service responsible for maintaining law and order across the metropolitan county of Merseyside in North West England, which includes the city of Liverpool.
Wilson issued a new appeal for help in a video posted to the social media platform X on Tuesday evening, calling on anyone with information to come forward.
"This is a woman whose later years have been stolen from her," Wilson said in the broadcast. "She was aged in her 70s so may have been someone's grandmother, someone's sister, someone's auntie or someone's friend."
Wilson highlighted the personal tragedy of the unidentified victim. "She was someone's child once and may have had children herself," she added. "She may have been someone's wife, best friend or neighbour."
"We need to know who she is so we can find whoever killed her," she continued.
The police described the woman as white, 5ft 2in tall, and of small build, with strawberry blonde hair. They issued the detailed physical description in the hope that a member of the public will recognise her.
She was found wearing a "distinctive pink Nike branded T-shirt". Detectives are asking anyone who recognises this description, or who knows an elderly woman matching it who has recently disappeared, to contact them immediately.
"If you've had anyone in your life you have not seen in a while or have lost contact with who has a similar description to this woman, please get in touch," Wilson said.
She assured the public that they would not face negative consequences for sharing their suspicions. "You will not be wasting our time or get into any trouble if it turns out not to be the same person," she said.
Community reaction
The discovery has caused significant concern among residents who live near the park. The area is largely residential, consisting of terraced streets that surround the expansive green space and the two major football stadiums.
Visitors to the park told the Daily Mail they were "petrified" and "shocked" that the body had been found in such a public place.
James Hannah, 29, said: "I run in this park almost every day. It makes me sad that I might have run by her without knowing. I hope they find out who did it soon."
"It won't stop me running through the park," Hannah added.
Janet Taylor, 55, described the discovery as deeply unsettling. "It is shocking that the woman has been there for weeks. It is also scary that this happened so close to home. That poor woman!"
She noted that the incident made her feel more cautious about her surroundings. "Although it's very unlikely I will be attacked here, it does make me feel more uneasy than before she was found," Taylor said.
Young mother Jojo Miron said she no longer felt safe visiting the area unaccompanied. "I'm petrified to be alone in the park. I couldn't come here on my own now," she said.
Mike Willoughby, a 43-year-old dog walker, questioned how the woman could be unrecognised and unaccounted for after several weeks.
"Someone must know who she is. It's likely she is someone's mum or grandmother," Willoughby said. "Why has no one missed her? If she has been in the park for so long, someone must be missing her."
"It's frightening that someone was murdered but the saddest part for me is that no one has missed her," he added.
Ongoing police investigation
Merseyside Police acknowledged that residents will "understandably be worried, shocked and scared" by the incident.
To reassure the community, Wilson stated that a "large and experienced investigation team" alongside specialist forensic support was leading the hunt for the killer.
Uniformed police officers and a mounted unit have been patrolling the park since the incident was reported last Friday, providing a visible presence in the area.
Investigators are urging anyone who has "seen anyone acting suspiciously near the location where the victim was found" to come forward. The Isla Gladstone conservatory is a restored Victorian glasshouse that frequently hosts weddings and public events, drawing many visitors to that specific part of the park.
Wilson reaffirmed the commitment of her officers to solving the case. "We are determined to do everything we can to identify this poor woman and the person who killed her," she said. "With the public's help we will."
The police investigation continues. Anyone with information regarding the woman's identity or the circumstances surrounding her death is urged to contact Merseyside Police directly.
Alternatively, members of the public can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity in the United Kingdom that allows people to pass on information about crime completely anonymously.
