Woman beheaded: Details emerge of Edmonton suspect Nicholas Salvadore

Suspect has been named as Nicholas Salvadore, 25

Forensic investigators prepare to examine a property in Edmonton (Getty)

Details have begun to emerge about the man who has been arrested after a great-grandmother was brutally murdered in her back garden yesterday.

Identified locally as Nicholas Salvadore, the 25-year-old is believed to be a would-be cage fighter, living only a few doors away from 82-year-old Palmira Silva’s home in Edmonton, north London.

Police arrested Salvadore, who was named by The Evening Standard, on suspicion of murder after a violent confrontation on Nightingale Street, during which a Taser was discharged and a police officer injured.

Salvadore was under armed guard in hospital today.

Detectives say they have ruled out terrorism as a motive.

Italian-born Mrs Silva, who was described by neighbours yesterday evening as “a sweet old lady”, was found dead in the back garden of her home of 30 years yesterday afternoon.

Police were initially called at around 1pm to investigate a man dressed in black, whom neighbours said had decapitated a cat with a foot-long, machete-like blade, and who was running through rear gardens banging on doors and windows.