A man has been charged with the murder of a woman who was found dead in Sheffield 11 days after going missing.
The body of 48-year-old Emily Sanderson was found at an address in the Hillsborough area of the city last Tuesday. She had not been seen since 19 May, when she reportedly attended a family funeral.
Mark Nicholls, 43, was arrested by South Yorkshire police on Friday and charged with murder on Saturday.
The force said in a statement on Sunday: “Nicholls, of Crofton Avenue, has been remanded in custody and will appear before court tomorrow [Monday].
“Emily’s body was discovered inside a property on Crofton Avenue at around midday on Tuesday 30 May. A forensic postmortem examination determined she died of head injuries. A 40-year-old woman, arrested on Wednesday 31 May on suspicion of assisting offenders, remains on police bail.”
DCI Andrea Bowell said on Friday that Sanderson was reported missing on Thursday 25 May after she had not been seen or heard from since Friday 19 May.
The force has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, as inquiries continued in Crofton Avenue, where a cordon was in place on Friday, guarded by officers.
Bowell said: “The property at Crofton Avenue where Emily’s body was found has undergone painstaking and extensive forensic examination. This is necessary to gather as much evidence as possible to help us understand exactly what happened.
“Emily was reported missing to police on Thursday 25 May, after she had not been seen or heard from since the previous Friday. Emily’s family and friends are understandably devastated by her death. I’d reiterate her family’s desire for privacy as they grieve their tragic loss.”
Sanderson family had appealed online for help find her, with her niece posting a photo on Facebook with the message: “This is my auntie at my grandad’s funeral 11 days ago. My auntie has been missing for 11 days, not spoke to her kids or her mum, the police looking for her. We are all worried sick about you, we love you and need you home safe.”
Her body was found later that day.
Nicholls will appear at Sheffield magistrates court on Monday.
