Emily Sanderson murder: Woman found dead at Sheffield home named - she had been reported missing

The woman has been named as 50-year-old Emily Sanderson and she had been reported missing to South Yorkshire Police.

Emily’s body was found in a property on Crofton Avenue, Hillsborough, at around midday on Tuesday, May 30.

Speaking today (Friday, June 2, 2023), a spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said a forensic post mortem examination had determined the cause of Emily’s death to be head injuries.

They have also confirmed that Emily was reported missing on Thursday, May 25, 2023, and had not been seen since the previous Friday (May 19).

The spokesperson said the force has ‘made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)’ following Emily’s death.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Bowell said: “The property at Crofton Avenue, where Emily’s body was found, has undergone painstaking and extensive forensic examination. This is necessary to gather as much evidence as possible to help us understand exactly what happened.

“Emily’s family and friends are understandably devastated by her death. We are carrying out our enquiries with the respect and compassion that Emily and her loved ones deserve, while we work as quickly as we can to identify and locate those responsible for causing her harm. I’d reiterate her family’s desire for privacy as they grieve their tragic loss.

“Now we have been able to establish Emily’s identity, I’d urge anyone who may have information to come forward. Emily was reported missing to police on Thursday 25 May, after she had not been seen or heard from since the previous Friday (19 May).“We’d therefore be keen to hear from anyone who may be able to tell us more about Emily’s movements since 19 May, whether they saw her or spoke with her, as that information could be incredibly important to our investigation.”

A 40-year-old woman arrested on Wednesday (31 May) on suspicion of assisting offenders has since been bailed pending further enquiries.

The property in Crofton Avenue has remained under police guard for much of this week, following the discovery of Emily’s body.