THE MOTHER of murdered Jennifer Kiely has backed a fresh appeal to help solve her daughter's shocking 2005 murder in the English seaside town of Eastbourne.
Margaret Kiely, who lives in Ireland, described her daughter's horrific death as 'incomprehensible' as she urged anyone with information to come forward.
Jennifer Kiely, a mother of three, was stabbed multiple times before her belongings were piled on top of her and she was set on fire.
Sussex Police have now authorised a new appeal as they attempt to trace an unidentified man spotted in the area on the night of the murder.
Ms Kiely, who had been living a transient life in Eastbourne after struggling with her mental health, was found dead on January 22, 2005.
The 35-year-old had been taking refuge in a seafront shelter on the lower promenade at Holywell on Eastbourne seafront when she was attacked.
"I don't know how anybody could have done that, it's so incomprehensible," Margaret Kiely told the BBC's Crimewatch Live programme.
"She was no threat, but he took her life from her. He took mine, too, to a certain extent."
DNA development
After the case was deferred in 2009 due to a lack of intelligence, it was reopened in 2011 and remains live.
In 2017, developments in forensics allowed police to retrieve new DNA from the crime scene.
Investigators want to trace the source of the DNA, as well as a man seen by witnesses and captured on CCTV on the night of January 21, 2005.
"Jennifer was well known in Eastbourne among charities and had many friends, and she spent the last day of her life with friends at an address in Upperton Gardens," said Detective Inspector Simon Dunn.
"That night she had a bath and left at about midnight, and was last seen at about 1am walking west along the seafront in the direction of Holywell.
"Her body was found by council workers at 5am.
The shelter where Jennifer Kiely's body was discovered (Image: Sussex Police)"One person we have yet to trace and eliminate from the investigation is a man seen that night walking along the middle of the road at the rear of the Grand Hotel.
"He was described as Eastern European by his accent and appearance.
"He was about 5' 10-11", of slim to medium build.
"His hair was a light blond colour, short but in no particular style.
"His face was roundish and he had dominant cheek and jaw lines and his nose was very straight."
The man was wearing a dark blue short jacket with a collar, a pair of grey jeans and white trainers.
The jacket had been zipped right up to beneath his chin.
'Somebody knows'
Margaret Kiely said she hopes someone can provide the information to help bring her daughter's killer to justice.
"I raised a perfect child," she told Crimewatch Live.
"She was sweet, loving, giving, ambitious.
"She was a nice girl, very nice girl, very pretty.
"She was a very good kid, that's why it's so hard to take this in, that she's no longer with us, that's the hard part."
She added: "Somebody, somewhere knows who it is and what he's done, just please come forward and let us know."
Detectives have asked anyone with information that was not disclosed during the original investigation to contact police on 101, quoting Operation Kittiwake.
Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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