Avon and Somerset Police said they are working closely with West Mercia Police to examine any connection between the two cases after a man was arrested this morning over the killing of Rev Suddards.
Stephen Farrow, 47, was taken into custody after a police operation in Folkestone in the early hours of this morning, following information from a member of the public.
Mrs Yates, 77, was found stabbed to death at her home in Bewdley on January 2. Rev Suddards, 59, was killed in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, last Tuesday.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson, of West Mercia Police, said: "We have been particularly interested in the work by Avon and Somerset Police to investigate the murder of Reverend John Suddards.
"We have been working together with them to examine similarities between that incident and the murder of Betty Yates.
"We will continue our unrelenting efforts to bring the offender responsible for this dreadful crime to justice."
Avon and Somerset Police's Detective Chief Inspector Simon Crisp said: "Early this morning, on our behalf, Kent Police arrested Stephen Farrow on suspicion of the murder of the Reverend John Suddards in Thornbury last week.
"His arrest follows a nationwide appeal for information which we released yesterday.
"I would like to thank the public and all those who have helped us to find him.
"It was as a direct result of assistance from a member of the public that we were able to locate this man and we would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude."
Parishioners have been turning out at Rev Suddards' church of St Mary's to pay their respects.
Mr Suddards was found stabbed to death at his home in Castle Street in Thornbury on Tuesday morning.
The alarm was raised by workmen who arrived at the vicarage next to St Mary's Church and found it was locked.
The news of his death sent shockwaves through the clergy and the close-knit community, which lies about 11 miles north of Bristol.
Police yesterday launched a nationwide appeal for Farrow, whom they said was known to travel the country extensively, mainly by bus. He was arrested by Kent Police at around 4.20am this morning by officers acting on a tip-off from the public.
In the Mrs Yates case, the men were seen by walkers during the mid-afternoon of January 2 in the area between the Riverside Caravan Park and Riverscroft Cottage, where the pensioner was stabbed.
One of the men was seen in woodland by a couple walking with a group near Painsmore Cottage.
Described as white and in his late 20s to early 30s with brown hair, the man was wearing dark trousers and a baggy, cherry red, waterproof-style coat with a hood which was down.
The second man was seen by a different couple walking alone on a track off the riverside, close to a disused railway line.
He was also white and described as in his mid to late-40s, pale faced and of medium build and clean shaven with short brown hair.
He was wearing a plain, light-coloured, three-quarter length coat with a single row of buttons.
He was also wearing dark trousers and shoes.
After her death Mrs Yates's son and daughter made an emotional appeal for help to bring their mother's killer to justice.
Hazel Costello, along with brother David Yates, said: "We are completely bewildered as to who could carry out such a savage attack on our mother. That this should have happened in her home makes this even more difficult to bear."
Mrs Costello added: "This has been such a hard time for us - to lose your mum is always dreadful but to lose your mum like this when you worry constantly about how frightened she might have been or what she might have felt during such a vicious attack is like a nightmare.
"Please, if you know anything about this can you come forward. If you have done this then please hand yourselves in. And if you are protecting somebody, please think about how we are hurting and tell the police what you know."
No comments:
Post a Comment