CONFIDENCE in the police reached rock bottom today as residents of Capel voiced their fears that Joan Albert's killer may never be brought to justice.More than four months since the body of widow Mrs Albert, 79, was found in the hallway of her home in Boydlands, Capel, the police appear to be no closer to catching those responsible for her brutal murder.

By Tina Heath

CONFIDENCE in the police reached rock bottom today as residents of Capel voiced their fears that Joan Albert's killer may never be brought to justice.

More than four months since the body of widow Mrs Albert, 79, was found in the hallway of her home in Boydlands, Capel, the police appear to be no closer to catching those responsible for her brutal murder.

The majority of residents questioned by The Evening Star said they had little or no confidence in the ongoing police investigation. They demanded to know why DNA, if available, was not being used to snare the killer and they spoke of fears for their own safety.

TINA HEATH reports from a village on the edge of picturesque Constable Country, haunted by the fear that a killer could be living next door.

Dave Davies of Thorney Road, Capel said: "The police aren't joined up. A lad came round to interview me and the next day someone else came round and asked me all the same questions and he didn't even know I had already been spoken to. I'm not the only one in the village that has happened to.

"I know they are just doing their job under difficult circumstances. I would rather be interviewed three times than not at all, it's just they seem to be wasting manpower rather than utilising it to good effect.

"If the police have DNA everyone should be tested, I'm totally in favour of it. I think they would find just about everybody would help them in that.

The house looks like a family house, somebody must have known it was only an old lady living there alone. Genuinely I think there was local knowledge involved, not necessarily local people but local knowledge."

Greg Woodhead, 34, of Great Wenham said: "I don't reckon the police will ever get him, not if they haven't picked him up by now. They don't have a very good track record, look at the Felixstowe case. To be honest I don't have a lot of confidence in them."

Jim Lay of Capel News said: "There are comments from people in the shop that the police have given up on it now. I think that's the general public opinion.

"If they have DNA why don't they use it to eliminate people? It might be expensive but at the end of the day what price do you put on a life?"

Josephine Harvey, 67, said: "It's a terrible thing to have happened and I do wish the police would pick up on something that would solve the problem. "It's been going on such a long time.

"I think somebody somewhere knows something, I just wish it was me then the police would have been told about it but I do believe people are frightened if they do know anything about it to say something. I think that's the problem."

Secretary for the village hall association, Linda Walton said: "We are all more aware. Your ears are going all the time in case somebody is following you.

"We want more information from the police. I know it's very difficult because if they have a piece of evidence and they tell us all about it, it could jeopardise the court case, but we have this big cloud hanging over the village.

"Did anybody in the village do it? We need to know."

Barmaid Laura Garwood, 22, who works at the White Horse and the village bar said: "I hate the fact I could be serving him. It's a worry for all the girls who work down the village bar about locking up on their own. I have to walk past Joan Albert's on my way home. You can't help but look over your shoulder all the time."

George Brace, 88, said: "The investigation doesn't seem to be moving anywhere. I expect they will get there in the end, let's hope so anyway."

An anonymous resident said: "Joan was having problems with youngsters and they are still in the village and up to no good. I don't feel threatened but if I was on my own and old I might be.

"Those children should be named and shamed, they are still terrorising people in the village."

A neighbour said: "All over the country the police service make excuses. They are under staffed or under funded. If I was a younger man I would leave the country. Generally I think the country has lost its way."

Another resident of Capel who did not want to be named, said: "I think normally in the case of murders they find somebody quickly or they don't find them at all.

"You look at the Vicky Hall case, even when they did bring that guy to court they didn't have enough evidence apart from a bit of mud."