Woman, 48, charged with murder following the discovery of a buried body in Northampton

Detectives have today (Sunday, March 20) charged a 48-year-old woman with murder following the discovery of a body buried in the back garden of a house in Northampton.

Fiona Beal was formally charged with a single count of murder shortly after midnight following the launch of a homicide investigation by Northamptonshire Police some days earlier.

Officers were initially called to the address in Moore Street, Kingsley, on Wednesday where they began a search of the entire property.

Forensic officers and specialist search teams, including a cadaver dog, were deployed and following an extensive search a body was discovered buried in the rear garden of the property yesterday afternoon (Saturday, March 19).

The remains are expected be taken to Leicester where they will be forensically examined by a Home Office pathologist.

The investigation, which has involved dozens of officers and specialist staff, was mounted following the arrest of Beal at a hotel in Cumbria early on Wednesday morning.

Det Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury, from the Major Crime team of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), said: “Regrettably, I can confirm that a body has been found in the rear garden of the address.

“We believe it to be that of a missing 42-year-old male, but formal identification has yet to take place.

“Police officers have been conducting house-to-house inquiries in the area over the past couple of days.

“This remains a complex and challenging investigation and we are appealing for anyone with any information to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 26 of March 16, 2022.”

Beal will appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court tomorrow, Monday, March 21.