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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

Woman found dead after car crash in Berkshire named as Maya Bracken

Maya Bracken
Maya Bracken was found dead in a car in Flower’s Hill in Berkshire on Thursday 4 January. Photograph: Facebook

A woman found dead in a car after officers were called to reports of a crash has been named by police.

The body of Maya Bracken, 56, was found inside a Lexus in Flower’s Hill, in Pangbourne, Berkshire, this month. She had been stabbed and died at the scene.

Officers were called to an incident involving a Lexus on Tidmarsh Road at the junction with Flower’s Hill in Pangbourne at 5.45pm on Thursday 4 January.

Shortly afterwards, police were called to a casualty on the railway track at Pangbourne station, where an 18-year-old man was found dead. Police said the man’s body was found at about 6:15pm.

Maya was formally identified on 8 January by Thames Valley police’s major crime unit after an investigation.

Thames Valley police previously said the deaths were being linked and no further suspects were being sought.

Tributes were left to Bracken, who was originally from Indonesia, near where she died.

One of the tributes read: “Dearest Maya, missing you very much. Rest in peace my dearest friend. Lots of Love,” the Reading Chronicle reported.

Flowers and several candles were also left at the scene.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley police said: “Maya’s family has requested for their privacy to be respected at this extremely difficult time.”

Det Supt Kevin Brown said: “We are in the very early stages of this complex investigation, but we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with either death.

“We are still investigating but are treating the two deaths as linked and we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances of each.

“There is no wider threat to the public from these sad and tragic incidents.

“Members of the public are likely to see an increased police presence while we continue to investigate and we would advise anyone with any concerns to please speak to one of our uniformed officers.”

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