Georgina Edmonds torture murder DNA swabbing starts

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Det Ch Insp Paul Barton appeals for public help

Police have started DNA swabbing sessions in a bid to find the killer of an elderly woman in Hampshire.

They already have a DNA profile of the attacker who killed Georgina Edmonds, 77, in her cottage in Brambridge.

She was tortured for her bank card PIN number and battered to death with her rolling pin in January 2008.

Officers have written to 120 people asking them to come forward and give a sample at a Eastleigh social club on Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday.

£30,000 reward

The process should take about 15 minutes for each person.

The samples will only be used for this investigation and not put on the National DNA Database unless requested by the person, police said.

Police believe the killer used Mrs Edmonds' cash card after her murder

Det Ch Insp Paul Barton said: "It is highly unlikely we will have the killer queuing up but what we will be interested in is the people who refuse to cooperate.

"This is a horrific murder and I would question anyone that wouldn't want to assist the police to detect this murder.

"What we are showing the community is we don't give up on these types of crimes and will continue until we catch the killer."

A £30,000 reward has been put up for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

Mrs Edmonds was found dead on 11 January 2008 by her son and a family friend.

Police believe the killer has a "strong connection" to a specific area of Eastleigh and Boyatt Wood.