Police are continuing to question a man in his 40s on suspicion of murder after a GP was found dead while hosting a children's sleepover at her home in Norfolk. The woman, named locally as mother-of-three Dr Hannah Terry, 45, also known as Hannah Cain, was pronounced dead at the scene after police were called by the ambulance service shortly after 2.20am on Sunday.
Arrest and investigation at the scene
A man, also aged in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to King's Lynn Police Investigation Centre, where he remains in custody. Police were granted a superintendent's extension allowing him to be held for an additional 12 hours, followed by a further 32-hour extension granted by Great Yarmouth magistrates. The deadline ends late tonight, but officers can apply for further extensions and hold a suspect in serious cases such as murder for up to 96 hours without charging them.
Forensic officers in white suits were today continuing to search the detached house in Fern Hill, Dersingham, where Dr Terry lived. The property is surrounded by the 20,000-acre Sandringham estate and is just over a mile from Sandringham House. Officers were heard cutting back the garden with strimmers and other tools, and potential evidence was seen being loaded into an unmarked police car.
Tributes from neighbours and patients
Neighbours expressed shock at her death, with several bouquets of flowers left on a verge outside the house. One message read: “Such a tragic loss. A lovely, kind, caring neighbour and friend, but above all a devoted mum. God bless you Hannah and your precious boys.”
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It is unbelievable what has happened. I am very upset about it. They are a lovely, lovely family.” Another, aged 95, said: “I never heard anything happening during the night and woke up on Sunday morning to see police cars everywhere.”
Dr Terry worked part time as a GP for three days a week at Grimston Medical Centre since last year, according to the surgery's website. The surgery remained closed today, with only a dispensary service open for three hours for regular patients to collect urgent medication. A notice on the website stated: “We are sorry to let patients know that Grimston Medical Centre, including the dispensary, is temporarily closed due to extremely difficult circumstances affecting our practice team.”
Career and previous practice
Dr Terry was also a director of Norfolk Sky Aesthetics, specialising in anti-wrinkle and dermal filler treatments. She had previously worked for nine years at the Heacham Group Practice in Norfolk until leaving last June “to allow her to spend more time with her young family”. A statement on the practice's website added: “We are all very sad to see her leave and are very grateful for all her hard work, support and advice over the last nine years.”
Det Insp Alix Wright, from the Norfolk & Suffolk Major Investigation Team, said: “We are in the very early stages of this investigation working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the woman's death. I'd ask anyone who believes they may have information that could help our investigation to please share this with us.”
Norfolk Police have not yet revealed the results of a post mortem by a Home Office pathologist, which was due to be carried out yesterday. Children sleeping over at the house were taken back to their parents' homes by officers in the early hours of Sunday.
