Family speak out on canal death
The family of a woman found half-naked in a Dudley canal today spoke about the mystery surrounding her death and their belief that she was murdered.
The body of 55-year-old grandmother Susan Lloyd was found floating in Dudley Number One canal by her sister, who said the death came just two days after another woman was sexually assaulted on the same towpath.
Marilyn Payne said the family was enduring a "living nightmare" while her sister's death was still shrouded in mystery.
Mrs Lloyd, who was also known by her maiden name Susan Payne, was wearing just knickers and shoes when she was pulled out of the canal at 4am on May 28.
Other clothes – including a pink blouse with three-quarter-length sleeves and a distinctive butterfly design on the front, plus white trousers – have still not been found.
Police are waiting for pathology reports to find out how Mrs Lloyd died and are treating the case as "unexplained". They have made no official link between the previous sexual assault and Mrs Lloyd's death.
Miss Payne and Mrs Lloyd's son Richard Lloyd said they were convinced foul play was involved, despite police assuring them Mrs Lloyd had not been sexually assaulted.
"Everybody thinks she was murdered, but we have got to wait for the lab results. The police told us she had a lump on her head and no water in her lungs," said Miss Payne, who lives in Cole Street, Netherton, just round the corner from where the body was found six weeks ago.
"There was a sexual assault two days before, further down the same canal in Cradley Road, and we just wonder whether they are linked.
"It is a living nightmare that will never end and the worst thing is not knowing the truth. We were in shock.
"There are lots of questions. If we don't get the answers we want it will always be in our heads.
"We can't sleep because we just can't get to the bottom of it."
Call police on 0845 113 5000 with any information on Mrs Lloyd's death.
