- BY ELLIE MCKINNELL, CALLUM CUDDEFORD
The unsolved murder of a Walthamstow teacher found stabbed in her burning flat
Joy Hewer was found with stab wounds by firefighters who only came because of a fire in her Walthamstow flat
www.mylondon.news
''Devout Christian Joy was found dead in her own home on October 17, 1995, after firefighters were called to a fire in her flat on the sixth floor of St David's Court, off Parkstone Road, in Walthamstow around 11:45pm. To their surprise they found a 52-year-old woman who had been stabbed and sexually assaulted.''
''After she retired in 1990, Joy dedicated much time to charity work. On the day she was murdered, she had volunteered at the London Healing Mission in Notting Hill until 3.30pm. She was next seen stopping by a chemist at 5.50pm before heading home to the Wood Street area.
After arriving home, Joy made several telephone calls to family and friends. She was very close to her family, especially her nieces and nephews, as she had never had children of her own, or married. A couple who lived directly underneath Joy described hearing 'loud banging and scraping noises' coming from Joy’s flat between 10.30pm and 11.00pm, but just as they decided to go upstairs and investigate further the noises stopped.''
''Less than an hour later, at 11.18pm a member of the public rang the emergency services from a public phone box on a nearby road to report smoke coming from the home. This caller has never been identified, despite police releasing the 999 call in an effort to find him as they believe he could hold vital clues to the murder.
A man who was caught on CCTV entering the front of St David's Court at around 10.30pm is also sought by police, and is considered a possible suspect. The Met don't think that Joy would have let a stranger into her home, a theory that's backed up by the discovery of two used coffee cups in the house, as well as no signs of forced entry.''
''Ms Barnes, said: "We've waited so long for answers but we'll never give up hope. Someone has evaded us for two decades but this latest appeal with the £20,000 reward could finally help us secure justice for Joy."
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Met on 020 7230 7963; alternatively, to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.''
