PSNI DETECTIVES were last night trying to determine whether an 81-year-old woman whose body was found in her home in Newry, Co Down on Christmas morning was murdered.
Police said they were treating the death of the woman, named locally as Máire Rankin, as suspicious.
A postmortem was arranged yesterday to ascertain how she died.
Family members became concerned about Ms Rankin when she failed to answer telephone calls or knocks on her door.
She lived alone but it is understood that she planned to spend Christmas Day with a relative.
She was found dead in her home at the lower Dublin Road in Newry at 10.15am on Christmas morning. She had last been seen on Christmas Eve. Police sealed off the house while a forensic team examined it.
Local Sinn Féin Assembly member Mickey Brady said the woman's family was in a deep state of shock.
"The thoughts and prayers of the entire community are with them. The PSNI are in the home of the deceased lady and hopefully they will establish the cause of death as soon as possible."
SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley said he was shocked by the death and horrified by reports that she may have been murdered.
"This is shocking news for a family to get at any time but it is made worse when it comes on Christmas Day," he said.
"Right now my thoughts and prayers are with the family, who are attempting to come to terms with this terrible news. Friends and neighbours are completely horrified and cannot understand how such a deed could be done in what is a quiet and close-knit community," Mr Bradley added.