Double murder in Glasgow as executive and diner worker are killed in 24 hours of horror

THE savage murders of two women, just four miles apart, were being investigated yesterday after their bodies were discovered in a restaurant and a park.

A "RESPECTABLE businesswoman" whose partially clothed body was discovered in a Glasgow park was subjected to a "brutal and violent" attack.

Moira Jones, 40, was discovered in bushes by a park ranger on Thursday morning.

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As police stepped up the manhunt yesterday, detectives said they could not rule out a sexual motive and revealed that items of clothes had been removed from her body and she may have been robbed.

Ms Jones was from England but had lived in nearby Queen's Drive, Glasgow, for the past five years. She worked as a sales consultant for the drinks com-pany BritVic and was held in high esteem by her employers, police said last night.

Her family travelled from England yesterday to identify her body and a post-mortem was carried out.

Detective Chief Inspector Derek Robertson, leading the investigation, said: "Moira was the victim of a brutal murder and it is imperative we trace the person or persons respon-sible for this crime.

"She was a respectable businesswoman … Her employers have described her work as impeccable."

He appealed for witnesses, adding: "You can imagine with such an attack, a brutal attack on a young woman, that the quicker we identify the person responsible the better.

"The sexual motive, the violent motive, nothing is being ruled out at this time. I have no doubt that someone knows who did this and, perhaps through misguided loyalty, is shielding this person."

The force revealed that items had been removed from the victim's body and had been found nearby, but she was not naked. Some items may have also been stolen from the victim, they said. The park remained sealed off by police cordons last night as officers continued to search the scene for clues. It is likely to be shut for several more days.

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Officers were last night checking CCTV footage to try to piece together Ms Jones's last movements. They were also interviewing friends to find out why she was in the park.

DCI Roberstson also confirmed reports that forensic tests on the body did not begin until the afternoon, several hours after the discovery. But he vigorously defended the delay. An experienced officer was on the scene shortly after the discovery but forensic experts only began their tests later due to the complexity of the procedure, he said.

"They have to complement each other. If one gets in before another they may destroy the evidence," Mr Robertson said. "You do not get a second attempt at it. We have to get it right first time."

Kenny Boyle, head of parks at Glasgow City Council, said there was "shock" among officials over the murder.

"Incidents like this in parks are extremely rare," he added. "You can imagine almost the disbelief. It is a terrible tragedy for the family."

Chief Inspector Stewart Carle said additional foot and bicycle patrols were in place around the area.

Neighbours thought death scene was part of location filming for Taggart TV series

A YOUNG woman was found apparently stabbed to death yesterday, in the popular Glasgow restaurant where she worked.

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It is thought the victim was the manager of Di Maggio's pizza restaurant and that she was killed as she locked up on Thursday evening.

Cleaners at Di Maggio's found the woman, believed to be 25 and of Greek origin, in a pool of blood at about 8:20am yesterday. Forensic officers and detectives were at the scene of the sealed premises in the West End, in a cobbled alley just off Byres Road.

At one point forensics officers were paying close attention to the door of the restaurant.

Police refused to comment on her death.

A spokesman would say only: "Inquiries are at a very early stage and a post-mortem examination will be arranged."

Later, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Feighan said: "Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding her death. I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of Ruthven Lane late last night or earlier this morning and who may have witnessed any suspicious activity."

Local residents claimed the victim had been stabbed twice, in the chest and arm.

One woman, who works yards away from the Italian eaterie, said: "The girl was a Greek waitress. I walked past the restaurant just before 8am and the door was closed. Within minutes, all the police cars arrived and then we heard what had happened. It is such a shame and really quite frightening."

Neighbours said they had been left horrified by the brutal death. One neighbour said that he heard a scream at about half past midnight.

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Eoghainn MacLeod, a 42-year-old advocate, said: "It was around 12:30am when I heard one sharp scream, which seemed to be coming from the direction of Di Maggio's.

"I've heard noises in the past and looked out, but it has usually turned out to be nothing.

"But I thought to myself that this was a noticeably loud, sharp scream, and a woman's voice."

Nino Verrico, 46, a property developer who owns buildings nearby, said: "It is awful. These kind of things don't usually happen here. The worst you normally get is drunken students. I don't think anyone knows for sure why it happened. I was told it could be for money, but it could be for anything."

Others told how they initially thought they had been plunged into a scene for the television show Taggart, which had been filmed in the same street just days before. Jan Campbell, 37, a stockbroker, said: "I looked outside and I just thought it was the filming for Taggart again. We are all very shocked, because it is a lovely area here. I never normally think anything of walking about alone, even at night."

A spokesman for Di Maggio's refused to comment until police released further details.

The family-run chain was launched in 1980 and has seven Di Maggio's outlets across the city and the Lanarkshire area.

The chain also owns Amarone and Cafe Andaluz, and employs around 500 staff. Last month it took over L'Ariosto in the city centre in a 2 million deal.

Stephen McGinty

BACKGROUND

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THE murders come just over a week after a 47-year-old woman was gunned down.

The financial advisor was found with a gunshot wound in an office on New City Road, Garnethill, at about 2:40pm on 21 May. She was taken to hospital and treated for serious injuries.

Detectives said they believed she was the victim of what may have been a planned hit.

Officers want to speak to a man described as white, in his forties, with red stubble and a Scottish accent.

Andrew Tagg, 24, who works at a fishmongers in the area, described how he found the woman "sprawled out on a chair" in a back office.

He said: "I didn't know there was anything particularly wrong with her to start with. I thought that maybe she had taken a heart attack or was diabetic.

"Her eyes were closed, her face was slicked in sweat."