Police Question 40 Suspects in Woman’s Murder

TAIF, 3 March 2004 — Police have begun questioning some 40 suspects in connection with the murder of an 85-year-old woman.

The woman’s body had earlier been discovered in her isolated house, which showed signs of a break-in.

Al-Madinah newspaper said the woman lived alone in the abandoned village of Bani Saad, where she looked after a flock of sheep despite her children’s attempts to persuade her to move.

She had help from two shepherds from the vicinity, one of whom found the body and alerted the family, the newspaper said quoting the woman’s son. She had apparently been strangled and her passport and jewelry were missing.