Vigil planned for Comber woman after murder
By Annie Stewart
A VIGIL will take place in Comber on Friday evening in memory of local woman Kat Parton, whose body was discovered in Belfast last week.
A murder inquiry has been launched after the body of the 34 year-old, who lived in Comber before moving to her East Belfast home, was found in a house on Madrid Street last Wednesday.
A 23 year-old man has since been charged with Kat’s murder and his mother and a friend have also been charged in relation to her death.
The vigil on Friday will take place at 8pm at Island Hill during which sky lanterns will be released after memories and stories are shared about the local woman.
Samantha Rutherford, who is helping organise the vigil, was a childhood friend of Kats’ and the pair later reconnected when their sons became friends.
“Kat was a such a good girl,” said Samantha.
“She was always so bubbly, happy and always smiling. My son is best friends with her son, so I’m close to the family circle.”
Kat’s family and friends are trying to raise awareness of domestic violence and encourage other victims to seek help and support.
Kat’s body was discovered in her East Belfast home last Wednesday, May 15, it is believed she had been beaten.
Jamie Love, who was in a relationship with Kat, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday charged with the murder sometime between May 9 and 15.
His mother and a friend are accused of helping him get to alternative accommodation in the aftermath of the killing.
Suzanne Love, 43, of Isoline Street in Belfast, and 22-year-old friend Reece Oliver, from Castleton Avenue in the city, have been jointly charged with assisting an offender and aiding and abetting a breach of bail.
The court on Monday heard that Jamie Love had stayed at Kat’s home on an on-off basis, according to police. Based on CCTV footage and inquiries with witnesses in the area, he is alleged to have assaulted Ms Parton on May 9.
“She was last seen alive earlier that day with Jamie Love,” a detective told the court.
Although post-mortem examinations have not established when the victim died, it is believed that her death was due to haemorrhaging.
“There had been an attack on Kathryn which was sustained and all focused on her head, due to the amount of blood and the distribution of it in the room,” the detective added.
All three accused were remanded in custody, to appear back in court on June 17.
