Death of woman in Salcombe now treated as a murder investigation
A 38-year-old woman from London has been arrested in connection to the incident
Last updated 7th Jul 2021
A murder investigation has been launched and an arrest made, following the discovery of a woman's body in Salcombe.
Mee Kuen Chong, 67, known to friends as Deborah, was found in an area of woodland near to Bennett Road on 27 June.
Mee had been reported missing from her home in London on 11 June and her death was initially treated as unexplained.
A post mortem examination took place at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on 28 June 2021, and a cause of death has not yet been ascertained.
On 6 July further enquiries, undertaken by Devon & Cornwall Police, within South Devon and the London area, led to a murder investigation being launched by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.
A 36-year-old woman was arrested at a residential address in Kilburn on suspicion of murder. She remains in custody at a north London police station.
A crime scene remains in place at the address and within South Devon, and police searches are likely to continue there over the coming days.
Mee was originally from Malaysia but has been living in Wembley for over 30 years. Her family has been updated about this development and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who is leading the murder investigation, said:
"The discovery of Mee’s body is a tragic development and my thoughts are with her family and friends.
"At this stage, we are working on establishing the full circumstances surrounding Mee’s death and in particular her movements. I would ask anyone who saw her between Thursday, 10 June and Sunday, 27 June either in London or Devon, who has not yet spoken to police, to please come forward.
"It is absolutely vital that anyone who may have information about Mee’s movements over this period share what they know to help us fully understand what happened to her."