Wolverhampton murder victim named as detectives examine motive for killing
A woman killed in her own Wolverhampton home has been named as Sarbjit Kaur - as police say they are 'keeping an open mind' on the motive for the murder
Mrs Kaur was discovered unconscious by relatives at the detached house in Rookery Lane, Goldthorn Hill, on Friday afternoon.
The 38-year-old had been assaulted and was pronounced dead at the scene, say West Midlands Police.
Detectives are working to establish whether Mrs Kaur was killed during a random burglary or a targeted attack.
Police had told residents to ensure nearby homes were secure in the wake of the attack as investigations continued.
That came after early inquiries suggested some items were taken from the home.
Police believed there may have been an 'untidy' search at the house.
But Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mallett, who is leading the murder investigation, says they are 'investigating several lines of enquiry'
He said: “Mrs Kaur was attacked inside her own home.
"This is a shocking case, the likes of which are extremely rare, and we have a team of officers working on this murder enquiry to establish what happened and to finding the person or people responsible.
“The motive so far is unclear and I’m keeping an open mind regards the circumstances…we are investigating several lines of enquiry including whether this was a random burglary or if the address or Mrs Kaur were deliberately targeted."
“The interior was in an untidy state – which could indicate it had been searched – and we believe that some items are missing. We are working with the family to understand exactly what items were taken.
“We have carried out CCTV and house-to-house enquiries, conducted an extensive forensic examination of the scene, and working with the family to establish the victim’s movements throughout the day.
"I would urge anyone who saw anything suspicious on Friday, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact my team on 101."
A post mortem examination has so far not been able to identify the precise cause of death and further tests will be carried out by pathologists.
The Rookery Lane house - which is opposite the street's junction with Tudor Crescent - remained sealed off, with a police cordon surrounding the property while a forensics team examined the scene.
Neighbourhood police officers had been mounting extra patrols in the area in the wake of the murder.
