Woman charged with murder after body ‘of missing man’ found buried in Northampton back garden

Fiona Beal was arrested at a hotel in Cumbria on Wednesday

Forensic officers in Moore Street, Kingsley, Northampton after the discovery of a body in the garden (PA)

A 48-year-old woman has been charged with murder after a body was discovered buried in the back garden of a Northampton house.

Fiona Beal was charged on Sunday, police said, a few days after a homicide investigation was launched. She had been arrested at a hotel in Cumbria early on Wednesday morning.

Officials were initially called to an address on Moore Street, Kingsley on the Wednesday.

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury, from the East Midland’s major crime team, said: “Regrettably, I can confirm that a body has been found in the rear garden of the address.

The body is removed from the house in Moore Street, Kingsley, Northampton on Sunday (PA)

“We believe it to be that of a missing 42-year-old male, but formal identification has yet to take place.”

Forensic officers and specialist search teams, including a cadaver dog, were deployed in the search for the missing man.

Police said that the body was discovered buried in the rear garden of the property on Saturday afternoon after an extensive search.

On Sunday, two police officers guarded the door of the property, with a forensics team going in and out of the house.

Two police cars and a police van were also stationed outside the address.

Police said the remains are expected be taken to Leicester where they will be forensically examined by a Home Office pathologist.

DCI Pendlebury added: "Police officers have been conducting house-to-house inquiries in the area over the past couple of days.

"This remains a complex and challenging investigation and we are appealing for anyone with any information to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 26 of March 16, 2022."

Beal, of Moore Street, is due to appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Monday.