DETECTIVES say it could take days before tests reveal whether a key item found in the hunt for a Hampshire grandmother’s killer will bring her murderer to justice.
Police will today continue their search of woodland after a member of the public discovered an item there that was stolen from the home of Georgina Edmonds on the day she was bludgeoned to death.
Yesterday – on the third anniversary the 77-year-old was found dead – 13 specialist search officers cordoned off an area of Oakwood Copse, in Otterbourne, one mile from Mrs Edmonds’ home in Kiln Lane.
Officers sifted through leaves and debris for seven hours hunting for clues after one of the three items stolen from the elderly woman on January 11, 2008 was discovered last week.
The missing items are her black Radley handbag, her silver credit card holder and a multi-coloured key fob. Detectives are also looking for her cheque book and cash card.
Police would not reveal what the latest item found was for “operational reasons”.
But it was yesterday shown to Mrs Edmonds’ family and is now being tested for fingerprints and DNA which could bring justice for the grandmother of two.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Barton said: “We are quite excited about the find.
“It may show the direction of travel of the offender, it may lead to additional forensic clues but obviously that item is now undergoing specific forensic tests and hopefully that will give us further information as to who is responsible for this murder.”
Police said they did not know how the item got to the wooded spot.
They said it could be a member of the public who found the items in a different area and brought them to the woods.
Mrs Edmonds was found dead by her son Harry when he returned to the family estate late in the afternoon.
She had been stabbed repeatedly around the top of her body, something police believe was a form of torture to get her pin number for her cashcard. She was killed by blows to her head from a rolling pin in her kitchen.
Anyone with any information should call the Operation Columbian investigation team on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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