Woman murdered in her Tampines flat; 80-year-old man arrested

Police investigators search through the rubbish chute for clues at the block where the murder happened. -- ST PHOTO: DANSON CHEONG
Police investigators search through the rubbish chute for clues at the block where the murder happened. -- ST PHOTO: DANSON CHEONG
The body of a 54-year-old Chinese woman, who was killed on Thursday in her third-floor flat at Tampines Street 43, is brought out. -- ST PHOTO: DANSON CHEONG

SINGAPORE - A 54-year-old Chinese woman was killed on Thursday in her third-floor flat at Tampines Street 43, police said.

The Straits Times understands that the woman was found covered in blood in a bedroom in the house. An 80-year-old man, believed to be her father-in-law, has been arrested in connection with the case. According to the victim's older brother, she was a housewife.

One neighbour, a housewife in her 50s who lives in a higher-floor unit, said her maid heard a woman's screams coming from a unit below at about 9am. She said: "I am quite shocked, they are a very friendly family."

Officers were seen combing through the rubbish chute at about 2pm. They later retrieved a 1m-long metal rod, a purple handkerchief and a grey T-shirt that appeared to be stained with blood.

Police said that at 10.04am, they received a call for assistance. When they arrived, the woman was found lying motionless. She was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene at about 10.18am. Police have classified the case as murder and investigations are ongoing.

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