Police find the body of missing wealthy pensioner Norma Girolami, 70, in London graveyard – a year after she vanished from her home.
Detectives investigating the suspected murder of a wealthy pensioner have found her remains in a north London churchyard after more than a year of searching.
Norma Girolami, 70, from Highgate, was last seen alive in mid-August 2021, when she vanished from her £900,000 home in Cholmeley Park.
Metropolitan Police detectives recovered human remains on Wednesday after searching the grounds of St Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in North Finchley, Barnet. The scene is four miles from Ms Girolami’s home.
A murder investigation was launched in October 2021 and a man was arrested and charged with her murder in the same month. He is currently in custody awaiting trial.
The remains found in the graveyard have been formally identified as being that of Norma Girolami and her family has been notified by detectives.
The Met previously said Ms Girolami liked to visit the seaside town of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, and made a trip there on Thursday, August 19 2021.
She took the train from Barking and returned to London later that day and all communication from her stopped that evening.
Ms Girolami regularly traveled to Brent Cross to do her shopping and used public transport to make her way there.
She was also a member at Archway Leisure Centre.
She has been described as ‘friendly, courteous and a very nice person’ by shocked neighbours.
After her disappearance her cousin, Jack Girolami, told the Standard how alarm bells started ringing after she had not responded to a text message in August.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said the investigation into her disappearance is ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact police.
She said: ‘Despite accepting that Norma was no longer alive, I know that her family are deeply affected by the news that her remains have been found. Our thoughts are very much with them.
‘My team has spent more than a year searching for Norma and there is a sense of relief that we have found her remains which will undergo forensic examination in due course.
‘Despite this discovery, I would still be very keen to hear from anyone who knew Norma, either in London or at Leigh-on-Sea who can provide information on anything that was happening in her life in August last year.
‘I am also appealing for anyone who saw any activity around the Churchyard in Friern Barnet Lane, N20 between August and October last year.
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