Detectives have launched a murder investigation in Luton, Bedfordshire, after a post‑mortem examination revealed a woman found in January had been stabbed. Bedfordshire Police said the case was reclassified as a murder inquiry on 30 January 2026 following the results of the post‑mortem.
The victim has been identified as 46‑year‑old Beata Szauer. Her body was discovered at a property on Brook Street on 7 January 2026; police say she was last seen on 21 December 2025. Officers are tracing her movements and contacts between those dates as they work to establish the full circumstances of her death.
Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Major Crime Unit are leading the investigation, which the force has named Operation Elyen. Detective Chief Inspector Sam Khanna, the senior investigating officer, said: “This is a complex investigation, and we are working hard to establish the circumstances surrounding Beata’s death. We are currently following a number of lines of inquiry and are appealing to the public to come forward with any information which could help us.” Police have appealed for anyone who knew Beata or who saw anything unusual in the Brook Street area during the period in question to contact them, quoting Operation Elyen.
No arrests have been publicly confirmed as the inquiry continues. Bedfordshire Police have said there will be an increased police presence in the Brook Street area to provide reassurance and engage with the local community.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Bedfordshire Police on 101 or via www.beds.police.uk, quoting Operation Elyen.
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