Ashley Dale died after being shot in her own home by a gunman who burst through the front door.
The 28-year-old is not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting at her home on Leinster Road in Old Swan. Police believe the property was targeted by one or more offenders, who burst in through the front door and sprayed bullets "indiscriminately".
Ashley was found with gunshot wounds in the back garden and taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her death has caused shock and outrage across the city, in what ECHO reader's described as a "sad waste of a young woman's life."
READ MORE: Family 'torn apart' by brutal murder of 'our shining light' Ashley Dale
Here's everything we know so far about the murder investigation.
Police called to concerns of the safety of a woman
Police were called to Leinster Road in Old Swan at around 12.40am on Sunday following reports for concerns of the safety of a woman. When officers arrived, they found Ashley in the back garden of the house with gunshot wounds.
She was given treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Leinster Road became the centre of a murder investigation as police cordoned off the area and asked anyone with information to contact them.
It comes just days after the death of 22-year-old Sam Rimmer, who was shot dead in Dingle on Tuesday night (August 16). Mr Rimmer's death was the first murder involving a firearm in Merseyside in more than a year.
Murder victim's far probed by police
Ashley Dale's car was towed away by police after being found with flat tyres outside her home on Leinster Road on Sunday.
Detectives investigating the murder confirmed to the ECHO that the car, which was used by Ashley and registered to her family, was seized by officers and will now be examined for any potential evidence.
It's not yet known why the car had flat tyres but police said it will be examined as part of the murder investigation.
Tributes flood in as victim named as Ashley Dale
People living in the Leinster Road area expressed their shock and sadness after hearing of the 28-year-old's death. One neighbour said: "People are shocked and upset because she was lovely. She was a nice, young girl just doing her own thing, enjoying life and then this happens. It doesn't bear thinking about.
"I'm a mum and my heart goes out to her family and friends. We've never had trouble in this street, it's always been quiet."
Tributes also flooded in to Ashley on social media, as people described her as a "beautiful" and "lovely" woman who was "taken far too young."
Murder investigation enters second day
Ashley is believed to have been home alone "enjoying her Saturday evening" when she was shot.
The type of gun used to shoot Miss Dale is not yet known, although police confirmed it was not a shotgun type firearm. The force has sent bullet casings from the scene off for examination, and will work with the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) to identify what kind of weapon was used and whether it had been fired in any other criminal incidents.
Police believe the attack on the address was targeted but Ashley was not the intended target.
Speaking at a police press conference on Monday, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen, head of investigations at Merseyside Police, told the ECHO: "Ashley lived there largely on her own, and what we know at this time is that the front door of that property was forced open by the offender or offenders outside. A firearm was then indiscriminately discharged on multiple occasions inside.
"Ashley was inside, exactly where she should be, enjoying her Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and she was hit by one of those shots. That proved fatal despite the very best efforts of Merseyside Police and then the North West Ambulance Service.
"Merseyside Police is incredibly shocked, both to have this crime and the fact it is a second firearms discharge homicide in such a short space of time. We are supporting Ashley's family as I am sure the communities recognise, and our thoughts go out to her mum, dad and wider family at this incredibly difficult time."
When asked why the force believed the address was targeted, DCS Kameen said: "It's very early stages of the investigation as I am sure everyone can appreciate.
"At this moment in time our position is we do not believe Ashley was the target of this attack. Ashley worked for Knowsley Council, she had recently had a promotion, she had graduated, she had her whole career in front of her, and her whole life in front of her.
"She was a young, innocent woman enjoying her life. So we do not believe, at this time, that Ashley was in any way involved in this. We believe the property was being targeted. And the reasons for that are part of our investigation now as we move forward.
"So what I am appealing for at this stage is anybody who was in that area, Leinster Road, around half past 12 in the early hours of Sunday, or Oakhill Road, or the surrounding area, if you can come forward. Even if you're not certain that you have any information just speak to a detective around what you were doing there and you may well provide us with some vital information.
"I am once again asking for any dashcam footage, any footage from doorbells or from private CCTV. Anything that people holds that helps us identify how the offenders arrived and left and how many of them there were and what took place in the address."
Family pay tribute to "our shining light"
The heartbroken family of Ashley Dale paid tribute to her in a moving statement, issued via Merseyside Police.
The family said: "Ashley, our girl – our shining light. Our hearts are broken into a million pieces. Ashley was a hard working young woman, who had her entire life ahead of her.
“She had just been promoted at her job with Knowsley Council. She had a degree and so many plans for her bright future that had only just begun. Her laugh, smile and energy was infectious in any room.
“We can’t come to terms with how this would happen to a defenceless woman in her own home. None of this makes sense and our lives will never be the same again. A senseless crime that has torn a family apart. Justice needs to be brought.”
Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam, doorbell camera or any other type of footage which may assist the investigation into the death of Miss Dale is urged to upload it directly to Merseyside Police using this online portal.
You can also contact the force via social media @MerPolCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 22000615873
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