Hamilton police say that they have been unable to locate the next-of-kin for a 77-year-old woman who was murdered inside her apartment last week.
Police responded to the building on Ottawa Street near Main Street on Aug. 8 after neighbours expressed concern that an occupant in one of the units hadn’t been seen for several days.
Police say that upon arrival emergency responders encountered a barricaded door and had to force their way inside the unit.
They then located the resident deceased on a bed with an apparent stab wound.
A second individual was also found deceased in the unit from a self-inflicted injury, police say.
In a news release issued on Monday, police identified the victim as Barbara Church and the other deceased party as Derek Emmons.
“Following autopsies, the police have determined Barbara Church’s death to be a homicide and Derek Emmons’ death to be a suicide,” the release notes. “Efforts to locate Barbara Church’s next of kin have thus far been unsuccessful, and police are continuing their search for any surviving relatives.”
Police say that a knife was recovered from the scene of the homicide.
No additional suspects are being sought.
