Paula Hounslea

Paula Hounslea was a British victim of an unsolved murder. She had been missing since 22 August 2009, and her body was later found in a fire pit on the loop line cycle path in Fazakerley, Liverpool on 5 May 2012 by a dog walker. The body was identified using Hounslea’s medical and dental records.

Police have launched a murder inquiry and hope to speak to anyone who saw someone matching Hounslea's description either on the day of her disappearance or since, Hounslea was 37 at the time of her disappearance and was white, around 5 ft 8ins tall, of medium build and had blonde or light brown shoulder-length hair when last seen she was wearing a grey jumper, with possibly a pink cardigan over the top, dark jeans and a gold Madonna pendant necklace and it is thought that she had three small bags of clothes with her.

Hounslea disappeared the morning after a family meal after telling her daughter she was staying with a friend for a few days, the alarm was raised when it was discovered she had not stayed with the friend and had not called her parents which was unusual, she has been described as bi-polar and was not in the greatest health. Although at the time of the disappearance she was not working it was thought she might be working somewhere else having had experience as a bar tender and seamstress. It was known that Hounslea's cash card had been used to withdraw money on separate occasions in the days following her disappearance and that perhaps an attempt had been made to phone a friend but problems with the phone meant that she was unable to connect and she attempted to book a room at a local hotel but did not arrive. The case remains open

On 13 June 2012, Hounslea's daughter Lois and her boyfriend Kevin Kavanagh then aged 21 and 20 respectively, were arrested on suspicion of murder and released on bail the next day, the house Lois shared with her mother was sealed off for forensic examination.

Inquest

At an Inquest in 2014 police files revealed that £850 was withdrawn from Paula’s account after she was reported missing on August 22 police said both Hounslea and her daughter knew the PIN number also that at 5.50pm Lois’s phone received a text message from Hounslea's phone saying that she was going to stay with a friend and a message was also sent to that friends phone saying that she was going away for a few days, 176 calls were made to Hounslea's voicemail after her disappearance from a friend, her parents and her sisters but none from her daughter.

A 20 cm kitchen knife was found in the fire pit alongside Hounslea's body similar to the knives used at her home as well as possible evidence that indicated the body had been transported to the site in a blue wheelie bin and later burnt.

Prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to charge Lois and her boyfriend because there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”. Lois Hounslea was twice summoned to appear at her mother’s inquest but failed to attend because she was unwell after suffering an asthma attack following an arrest for theft. Kavanagh appeared in the witness box but said he had been advised not to answer questions put by the coroner to avoid potential incrimination. A narrative verdict was recorded and the police said the case remained open.