Detectives investigating the murder of a wealthy woman, who took out a £35,000 loan after going missing in north London, have made new appeals to solve the mystery.
Norma Girolami, 70, vanished from her Highgate flat in mid-August 2021 without warning to friends and family and leaving food in her fridge.
The family of Ms Girolami, who lived alone and has no children, are “distraught”.
A murder investigation was launched in October 2021. Police searching for her body put up a £20,000 reward.
It was reported Ms Girolami, who made her money from a small property portfolio, may have been targeted in a suspected romance fraud.
The churchgoer liked to visit Leigh-on-Sea and made a trip there on August 19, taking the train from Barking before returning to London later that day.
Calls and texts to friends and relatives stopped that same evening.
As part of their investigation, officers on Thursday released images of an 2018-reg silver Kia Niro hybrid car they believe may have been driven in a suspicious manner around Highgate and Finchley.
Her cousin Pia Graham said: “We miss you so much Norma.
“Christmas was such a hard time for us because we know it was a time you loved - seeing us and being around family… going to St Joseph’s for Christmas Mass… helping those less fortunate than you.
“I would ask everyone to look closely at these pictures and think about whether you recognise Norma.
“Did you see her last summer? If you think you might have information – even if you aren’t completely sure it was her or don’t remember exact dates – please contact the police. No piece of information is too small.”
Ms Girolami regularly travelled to Brent Cross to do her shopping, using public transport to make her way there. She was also a member at Archway Leisure Centre.
Detective Chief Inspector Jo Sidaway, who is leading the investigation, said: “Norma’s friends and family faced their first Christmas without her and have had to start a new year still not knowing exactly what has happened.
“We are working tirelessly to get them the answers they so desperately need.
“Norma’s normal activities and communication stopped on the evening of August 19 and the fact that she has been missing for so long, and that all proof of life has been negative, means we are treating this as a murder investigation.
“We are urging anyone who knew Norma or regularly saw her to come forward and speak to us, whether it be a neighbour or someone who works at a shop that she visited frequently. Any information about her daily routine could prove vital to our investigation.
“We are also asking everyone to look at the image of the grey Kia Niro and to think about whether they saw it between Thursday, August 19 and Friday, October 1, 2021 in the Highgate and Finchley areas of north London.
“The car could have also been using a vehicle warning sign in one of the doors which may have made it stand out more than others. Perhaps you saw it parked on your road or behaving suspiciously in the area.”
Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
