Vic: Police search for clues on murdered mother = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2000
Vic: Police search for clues on murdered mother = 2

Inspector Rix said Ms Doherty had kept a number of appointments yesterday morning but
had missed at least one of them.

Police were appealing to friends of Ms Doherty to help detail her movements in the
hours leading up to the fatal attack.

He said police had identified a possible weapon, but declined to say what it was.

Mr Doherty, who had been shopping, returned to find his wife's body in the bedroom,
Inspector Rix said.

It was not clear whether there had been forced entry to the house, but there had been
some disturbance of items within the house, he said.

Although burglary was possible, there had only been eight burglaries in the past two
months in the secluded area, he said.

It appeared there was no struggle between the attacker and Ms Doherty.

"It looks as though she's been surprised," he said.

"The indications are that she may have just come home."

Insp Rix said Mr Doherty apparently had an illness and was not working full-time. The
nature of his work was not presently known.

Asked whether the illness was physical or psychological, Insp Rix said it was "a bit of both".

AAP gf/er/ej/de

KEYWORD: DOHERTY 2 MELBOURNE

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