Almost a week on from the discovery of an elderly woman’s body at allotments in Colindale, detectives are renewing appeals for information to establish what happened in the hours before her murder.

The body of 80-year-old Lea Adri-Soejoko – also well-known by her maiden name of Lea Hulselmans – was found inside a lock-up store at the allotments in Sheaveshill Avenue, NW9.

At around 02:05hrs on Tuesday, 28 February, officers attended the location as part of the search for Lea, who had been reported missing at 01:40hrs on the same day.

As a result of the searches officers found a body in a lock-up store. Lea was confirmed dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination took place at Northwick Park Hospital on Wednesday, 1 March; cause of death was ligature of the neck.

An incident room has opened under Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command.

Officers will be in the area of the allotments between 14:00hrs and 18:00hrs on Monday, 6 March. They will be speaking with motorists and the local community in the hope that someone, who has yet to come forward, holds information that will assist the investigation.

DCI Noel McHugh said: “As our enquiries continue, I am now keen to speak with anyone who knew Lea. Did you speak with her in the days leading up to her murder, or visit her at home? Did she seem troubled or speak to you about any concerns she may have had?

“It is important that we build a timeline of the events that led to officers discovering her body in the lock-up store.

“Lea had been reported missing to police and it’s vital we know where she was on the afternoon of Monday, 27 February. She left her home on Colindeep Lane at some point that day but was she alone? Where did she go? She was wearing distinctive clothes – black wellington boots with white spots and pink piping around the sole and top of the boot, a navy blue quilted jacket and grey bottoms.

“I am still particularly keen to speak to anyone with links to the allotments, who might have visited or been in or around the area throughout Monday, 27 February into the early hours of the following morning.

“If you own an allotment, or help on a friend’s patch, I would like you to come forward and speak to us.

“Lea was a mother and grandmother and secretary of the allotment association. She was very well-known in the area and always in and out of the allotments, a pillar of the community.”

Anyone who can help is asked to contact police at the incident room on 020 8785 8099, via 101 or @MetCC. Alternatively, to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

+ A 40-year-old man was charged with murder on Sunday, 5 March.