A man arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man in Suffolk has been released on police bail as fears grow for the fate of the victim’s missing wife.
Officers investigating the murder of Peter Stuart released CCTV footage of the last time he was seen alive with his missing wife, Sylvia. They also revealed that a man they want to talk to in connection with the murder and disappearance – Albanian Ali Qazimaj – is believed to have fled unaccompanied to France.
On Monday, police released on bail a 61-year-old from Leicester who is believed to be Stuart’s son-in-law Steve Paxman.
Stuart, 75, and his wife Sylvia, of Weybread in Suffolk, were reported missing on Friday.
Later that day Stuart’s body was found in woodland close to the couple’s home. A postmortem confirmed he died of multiple stab wounds.
Suffolk police said hopes of finding Sylvia alive were fading. A spokeswoman said: “The length of time that she hasn’t been seen, coupled with the fact her husband has been murdered means that as each day passes it becomes more difficult to imagine finding her safe and well.”
The CCTV footage shows Sylvia and Peter Stuart entering Goodies farm shop in Pulham Market, Norfolk, on the morning of Sunday 29 May. Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen them or who has information regarding their whereabouts since then.
The search for Sylvia Stuart remains the focus of the hunt for Qazimaj, a 42-year-old former council worker whose car was found abandoned in Dover on Sunday night.
His home in Tilbury, Essex, has been searched. Police revealed he was last seen at the Port of Dover ferry terminal at about 6.30pm on Saturday. Police “strongly believe” he then boarded a passenger ferry to Calais on his own.
DCS Simon Parkes said: “The primary focus of our investigation remains on locating Sylvia. We are releasing this further information today in the hope that it may trigger someone’s memory and help us piece together their movements.
“We know that family members were with the couple at their home address on Saturday 28 May and CCTV now places them in Pulham Market the next day. If you remember seeing Peter and Sylvia in Pulham Market or if you spoke with them or saw them around this time we are urging you to get in touch.
“It is also essential that we learn more about the whereabouts of Ali Qazimaj as we strongly believe that finding him will lead us to the location of Sylvia.
“Based on this new evidence it is highly likely that he has left the country, so our officers are working with colleagues within the UK and internationally in an effort to trace him.”
Police confirmed that Qazimaj is connected to the family, but would not confirm reports that he previously had a relationship with Paxman’s mother.
A spokeswoman said: “There is a link between him and the family but at this stage it is not helpful to go into any more details.”
Qazimaj is described as white, around 5ft 6in tall, with brown eyes and dark brown, greying hair.
Members of the public are warned not to approach him but to call 999 immediately if he is seen.
