DETECTIVES are checking the telephone records and address book of a woman found stabbed to death in the £1 million home from which she offered £100-an-hour massages.
The body of Angela Chiu, 48, was discovered by her 18-year-old daughter, Danielle, who arrived home after a holiday to find the doors locked. She summoned a local builder who forced the door open at the large detached property in the Canford Cliffs area of Poole, Dorset. Miss Chiu found her mother lying in a pool of blood in the bathroom.
Yesterday police were searching the gardens of neighbouring properties for the knife that was used to kill her.
Mrs Chiu lived near Sandbanks, one of the country’s most expensive areas. She had lived in the house for 12 years, and was described by neighbours as a professional masseuse who also sold lingerie and hosiery from the address and invited customers to enjoy her sauna. Her answerphone message tells callers that “full body massages” cost £100 an hour.
She drove a soft-top Mercedes with personalised numberplates and advertised “luxury massages” in the local paper.
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She lived on her own after separating from her husband, a Hong Kong businessman who is returning to Britain to look after their daughter. She also owned other properties in the area.
Her boyfriend was abroad on holiday at the time of the killing, and he was returning as well. The last time anyone is known to have spoken to Mrs Chiu was on Wednesday. Her body was discovered at 5pm on Friday.
John Hobby, Mrs Chiu’s uncle, said that she must have known her killer. Mr Hobby said: “She had obviously let him in. If she hadn’t, then a door or window would have been broken. Angela was a professional masseuse who had a lot of customers who were also her friends. She was married to a Chinese man, but they separated. He is now on his way back from Hong Kong.
“She was very hard-working and very happy. She deserved what she had.”
One neighbour said: “Angela is a masseuse, a proper qualified one. It is terrible that something like this has happened here.” Another, who did not want to be named, said “This is not the type of place where we get much crime.”
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Detectives from Dorset Police’s major crime investigation team were yesterday continuing their search of the area. A spokesman said: “We are continuing a forensic investigation of the area and are appealing for anyone who might know something to come forward.
“The last contact we know that anyone had with her was on Wednesday. So anybody who might have had contact with her after that we would like to hear from.”