York murder inquiry turns its attention to fight on same street

Detectives investigating the Tang Hall murder are looking into a fight which took place hours before the crime was discovered.

Police launched a murder inquiry after the body of a 25-year-old woman was found in a flat on Fourth Avenue in York.

That discovery took place at 1pm on Monday, July 2. Now detectives want to find out more about a fight between two men on the same street overnight between 7pm on Saturday, June 30 and the early hours of Sunday, July 1.

They would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard the fight or altercation around the parade of shops between Seventh Avenue and Melrosegate on Fourth Avenue that night.

Awaiting test results

Officers have been conducting house to house enquiries, carrying out forensic examinations of the scene and speaking to witnesses to establish the full circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

The victim has been named locally as Claire Lucas.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Pearson of North Yorkshire Police said:

This is a continuing investigation and we are awaiting further test results before we are in a position to formally identify the woman.

The scene is in a residential area and we have been speaking with the local community to obtain as much information as we can and to reassure them that we are working hard to establish the circumstances of the woman’s death.

We continue to appeal to anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual around this location, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to please come forward.

Officers discovered the woman’s body after gaining entry to the flat behind Classic Cutz barber shop.

A 35-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has since been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

Detectives are appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area at the time to contact them.

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