Murdered pensioner’s children appeal for public’s help in finding her killer

The body of retired teacher Betty Yates, 77, was found at her remote property near Bewdley, Worcestershire, on January 4. She is believed to have been killed two days earlier.

Her daughter Hazel told a Press conference that it was possible her mother knew her killer.

She said: “Friends and family ask us what we think of who could be responsible for this but we have no idea of who could do something like this to our mum.”

Hazel Costello told the news media that her mother’s funeral took place last week.

She said: “We are, of course, devastated by the dreadful manner in which our mum met her death at the beginning of this year.

“We held her funeral on Thursday of last week, which was an even sadder affair because we were too fragile to contemplate a gathering beyond immediate family.”

Mrs Costello, who was sitting next to her brother, David Yates, added: “We are completely bewildered as to who could carry out such a savage attack on our mother.

“That this should have happened in her home makes this even more difficult to bear.

“Our mum and dad searched for many years to find this spot and then built their dream, not just in bricks and mortar.

“Our father, Ray, died almost seven years ago and there was never a possibility in our minds that Mum would want to leave the cottage.

“She was so happy there – it is a truly beautiful place filled with shared family memories.”

Mrs Costello appealed directly for the killer to give themselves up.

She went on: “This has been such a hard time for us – to lose your mum is always dreadful but to lose your mum like this when you worry constantly about how frightened she might have been or what she might have felt during such a vicious attack is like a nightmare.”