[WATCH] Suspect in St Paul's Bay murder fled to Italy

St Paul's Bay murder suspect believed to have fled country

Police have updated the press on their investigations into the death of Silvana Muscat, whose body  was discovered in her St. Paul’s Bay apartment earlier today, during a crime conference delivered by Assistant Commissioner Norbert Ciappara, this afternoon.

Muscat, 36, was found at around 11:30am in her bed, under the covers, by her sister who had gone to check up on her after attempts to contact her failed. She was dressed in casual clothes, not sleepwear.

Her husband, Hamid Nureddin Ibrahim, was said to have fled to Bergamo, Italy on a Ryanair flight.

The two were married on the 8 March, 2014.

Assistant Commissioner Martin Sammut told the press that the woman was found to have suffered five stab wounds and therefore, the case was being treated as a homicide. Scene of Crime Officers had recovered a knife from the common area of the apartment building, which they believe is the murder weapon. He did not indicate the areas where the injuries were sustained. 

Sammut said that the victim had already made three domestic violence police reports against a foreign man, who they had subsequently investigated. He would not disclose the man’s nationality. The Assistant Commissioner announced that the police had identified a person of interest, who they believe has fled to Italy and that a car which was reported to have been recovered at the airport appears to belong to the person of interest.

No arrest warrant was issued on Thursday, Ciappara said, but the person of interest may be declared a prime suspect in the coming hours, which will lead to an international arrest warrant being issued.

Earlier this afternoon, duty Magistrate Carol Peralta led an on-site inquiry into the murder, but the cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed.

Deputy commissioner Pierre Calleja, and inspectors Keith Arnaud and Dennis Theuma were also present at the briefing.