AUCKLAND MURDER

Grey River Argus, 11 July 1945, Page 3

AUCKLAND MURDER

WOMAN’S HIDDEN BODY Found With Throat Cut P a AUCKLAND, July 10. ’Lila Hammond, married, aged 40. was found murdered, in her home at 2 Seddon Road, Otahuhu, last night. The body was in a wardrobe in a bedroom. The woman’s husband, who is a railway employee, is away in Helensville. They have two young children. , . The discovery was made by Mis. Hammond’s mother and a companion who went to the house in tne evening after a statement by the children that their mother was not at home. The body was severely lacerated about the throat. When the children were asked where their mother was they replied that they had been told she nad gone out'. Further inquiries ed to a search of the house, when the body of Mrs. Hammond' was found in the wardrobe, lying in a heap. WIDESPREAD SEARCH. A widespread search for the suspected killer of Lila Hammond is being carried out by the police, lhe woman’s throat had been seveiely lacerated and there was evidence she was thrust into the wardrobe wiin considerable force. A razor wuh which it is believed the crime was committed, was found in the kitchen. A boarder of the house, F F. Gallagher, arrived home about 5.00, anc. was told' bv Hammond’s children, a boy aged 12' and a girl aged live, who were playing with another chfid outside the house, that the mother had gone out. Gallagher went away and returned later, and at 6.30 sent Hammond’s son to the home of the woman’s mother to inquire as to the mother’s whereabouts. Half-an-hour later, Mrs. H. Ellis, Rirs. Hammond’s mother, accompanied oy her foster-son and Gallagher entered the house, and in the bedroom found Mrs. Hammond’s body m the wardrobe. The police were at once Ccillod The’ scene of the tragedy is a wooden dwelling standing below the footpath level at the intersection of Seddon Road and the roadway leading to the overhead bridge near Otahuhu Railway station. The nearest house is 20 yards away. Examination of Mrs. Hammond’s body showed a deep lacerated wound across the front of the throat, and smaller cuts on both hands, suggestive that she endeavoured to shield herself from the attacker. , , . An inquest was opened before the Coroner, Mr. A. Addison, this morning and adjourned after evidence or identification. When found in the small wardrobe, Mrs. Hammond’s body was naked except for a pair of men’s socks on the feet. There was nothing else in the wardrobe except the body. When the first police party, comprising Senior-Sergeant Daly, Constable Hanna, and Dr. Lange arrived, they found little evidence of the crime, the appearance of the house showing no signs of a struggle. With the arrival of the second police party, the clothes the woman had been wearing were found 'in a laundrybag in the washhouse, which is detached from the dwelling. A calfskin rug from the bedroom was also found in the bag. The clothes and rug were covered with bloodstains. More bloodstained clothing was found in a small cupboard in the bathroom. The blinds in the bedroom in which the body was found had been drawn. The husband of the dead woman is a plumber employed by the Railway Department. He left home yesterday morning to spend a week on a job in the country. It is known that Mrs. Hammond went shopping at Otahuhu .yesterday morning. The woman living next door heard nothing unusual, but noticed the backdoor was closed the greater part of the day.