Langwith Junction murder: Police hunting killer ask public if they have seen friends or relatives acting strangely

Derbyshire Police have launched a murder investigation after Freda Walker, aged 86, was killed and her husband Kenneth, 88, was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries after an incident on Station Road on Saturday, January 15.

A Derbyshire Police roads policing unit spokesman urged residents to try and remember if they had seen anything odd and said someone must know who had committed the crime.

They said: “Seen anything out of place recently? A friend or relative acting strangely?

“Someone knows who did this. Call 101 or DM @DerPolContact on Twitter with any information, however small it may seem.”

Ambulance crews were called to Station Road at 9.30am on Saturday, after receiving reports of a couple with serious injuries. When they arrived, they found Mrs Walker had passed away and Mr Walker was badly hurt.

Neighbours have reported that the elderly couple were attacked by a burglar who had broken into their semi-detached property.

Close-knit area

A resident who lives two doors down from the couple said: "I knew of their names because this a close-knit area, everybody knows everybody.

“It is shocking and upsetting. I have lived on this street for 53 years. It has been a lovely area to live. It is really sad.”

Speaking at the murder scene, Chief Superintendent Hayley Barnett, Derbyshire Police divisional commander, said: “This couple were well-known here. I know many people who knew them were shocked by this horrific incident.

“I want to appeal to anybody who has any information in relation to this incident to come forward as a matter of urgency.

“I must confirm that no arrests have been made in this case and this is not a domestic incident.

“If you were in the area on January 14 through to 15, please contact police, as we especially want to find anybody who may have dash-cam footage and anybody in the area with CCTV.

“We have officers from our major crime unit who are working hard with a number of lines of enquiry, all in the effort to try to identify who is responsible for this horrific incident and to bring them to justice.”