Grandmother battered to death with pestle and mortar from her kitchen by thief who then stole her car

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:45 PM on 6th June 2011

Murdered: Angelika Dries-Jenkins was found dead at her home in Narberth, west Wales, on Friday

A 'gentle' grandmother was battered to death with a pestle and mortar in her own kitchen, police said.

Mother-of-three Angelika Dries-Jenkins, 66, was discovered in a pool of blood at the picturesque country cottage where she lived alone.

Mrs Dries-Jenkins was found by her daughter who called to visit her.

The heavy marble pestle and mortar discovered at the scene was today being examined by forensic officers.

Police say the reclusive divorcee could have been attacked any time during the previous week.

Mrs Dries-Jenkins' car - with the registration GP05 LNY - was missing from its usual parking spot outside her cottage in Narberth in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

But after a major search the champagne-coloured Skoda Fabia was later found by police parked 12 miles away at Haverfordwest.

The murder has shocked the small tourist town of Narberth, where locals described Mrs Dries-Jenkins as a 'lovely lady'.

Horror: The home of Angelika Dries-Jenkins in Narberth. A heavy marble pestle and mortar was discovered at the scene and is being examined by police

Shattered peace: An aerial view of the stone cottage in Providence Hill, Narberth where Angelika Dries-Jenkins was found murdered

Neighbour Elizabeth Nicholas said: 'I cannot believe she is dead, she was a quiet and gentle woman who kept herself to herself.

'But she would always stop for a chat if she was passing or we bumped into each other in town.

'She has children and also grandchildren, though she has been divorced for a number of years.'

Mrs Dries-Jenkins, who was a keen gardener, lived at a stone-built cottage in the Providence Hill area of Narberth. She was due to celebrate her 67th birthday yesterday.

Mrs Nicholas added: 'There are only six or seven houses here and it is very quiet indeed.

'I have lived here all my life and nothing like this has ever happened.

'I'm sure the attacker must have known our neighbour. It seems too convenient that a person living on their own was targeted.'

'This is the kind of area where we pop into town and leave our doors open. It is such a shock.'

Mystery: Police guard Angelika Dries-Jenkins' cottage. Her Skoda Fabia was found 12 miles away at Haverfordwest

Mrs Dries-Jenkins was born in Germany and settled in Pembrokeshire after marrying a local man in the early eighties.

She has three children including a son Benedict, 32, and two daughters, one living abroad.

Police put up a roadblock on the A478 which runs past Mrs Dries-Jenkins' home and appealed for help from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area last week.

Detective Superintendent Pam Kelly said: 'I would ask members of the communities of Narberth to think back to what they were doing in the week leading from the bank holiday to Friday, June 3.

Picturesque: The quiet main street in Narberth, Pembrokeshire. The community is in shock following by the murder

'We would like them to come forward as they may have vital information which could assist in the investigation.

'Dyfed-Powys Police would like to reassure the local community that these offences are extremely rare and the county remains one of the safest places to live in England and Wales.'

Narberth town councillor Henry Langen described Ms Dries-Jenkins as a 'lovely lady'.

He said: 'It's a real shock to the community, something like this hasn't ever happened before.'

Wendy Wood, landlady of the Angel Inn in Narberth, said the whole community was reeling from the news.

She said: 'It is a quiet and peaceful town and we don't have any violent crime, let alone a murder.

'Having helicopters and tracker dogs out during the night is quite strange and unnerving. It has left a dark cloud and a great deal of fear over the community.'

Police are studying CCTV in the hope of identifying the person who drove Mrs Dries Jenkins' car from the murder scene, abandoning it in Haverfordwest.

A police spokesman said: 'We clearly want people in the St Thomas Green area of Haverfordwest, who may have seen this vehicle last week, to come forward as it may have been there for some time.

'This is clearly a very difficult time for the family and Dyfed-Powys Police are relying heavily on quality community information to assist them with inquiries.'