'Little hope' for missing wife of stabbed pensioner as fugitive hunted
POLICE probing the stabbing murder of a pensioner said tonight they now held “very little hope” of finding his missing wife alive.
Sylvia Stuart has been missing for 11 days her husband Paul was stabbed to death
Sylvia Stuart, 69, has not been seen for 11 days, since she and husband Peter were recorded on CCTV walking into a shop.
Mr Stuart, 75, was later found dead in woodland close to the couple’s home in Weybread, Suffolk.
And tonight detectives hunting a fugitive immigrant over the killing admitted hopes that Sylvia was not dead too had faded to “a glimmer”.
We strongly believe that finding Ali Qazimaj will help us locate Sylvia
Describing the chances she was still alive as “extremely remote”, Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Parkes said: “Since she was last seen on the CCTV we have had no reported sightings and no information. We now think there is very little hope.
“Peter was killed and she would appear to have gone missing around the same time. We haven’t seen or heard or had any information to indicate she has been alive throughout.”
Ali Qazimaj came to the UK from Kosovo
Police have said they hold 'very little hope' of finding her alive
Police urgently want to trace fugitive Ali Qazimaj, 42, about both the murder and the disappearance. Qazimaj was given a UK passport after coming to Britain from war-torn Kosovo in 1999 and had settled in Thurrock, Essex.
A silver Citroen C3 driven by him was found dumped in Dover last weekend and it is believed he slipped alone aboard a ferry to France. Police have discounted speculation that Qazimaj, who also uses the name Marco Costa, abducted Mrs Stuart.
Det Chief Supt Parkes said there was “no indication at all that they have ever been together” but added: “We strongly believe that finding Ali Qazimaj will help us locate Sylvia.”
Last Sunday the couple’s son-in-law Steve Paxman, married to their daughter Christy, 41, was arrested on suspicion of Mr Stuart’s murder.
Police have said they strongly believe that finding Ali Qazimaj will lead to finding Sylvia
Mr Paxman, 61, of Loughborough, Leics, was released on police bail without charge pending inquiries.
Qazimaj was the former boyfriend of Mr Paxman’s late stepmother Nellie despite being 36 years her junior. He is described as white, 5ft 6in with brown eyes and brown, greying hair. The Stuarts were last seen alive on May 29 visiting Goodies Farm Shop in Pulham Market, Norfolk.