Murder hunt over strangled woman

Police yesterday named the woman as Latvian national Nadija Ondzule, who was 36.

Detectives are now hunting a suspect whom they believe has fled abroad.

Detectives launched a murder investigation on Tuesday after her body was found in a basement flat in Oddfellows Street, a cul-de-sac in Mirfield.

A post mortem examination was carried out on Wednesday which revealed the cause of death as strangulation.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “Detectives have identified a male suspect who is believed to have fled the country and we are now liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to facilitate his arrest.”

Residents fear the woman may have lain undiscovered in the flat for several days.

Police went to the terraced home shortly after 6.30pm on Tuesday after a concerned person called to say the woman resident of the flat had not been seen for some time.

One resident said the bedsit seemed to have a quick turnover of tenants and that a couple living there recently had not been seen for some days.

“It is awful if the woman has been lying there undiscovered for some days,” she said.

Detectives have appealed to anyone with information about the death to contact them on 0845 60 60 606.