Age: 47
Sex: female
Date: 16 Nov 1996
Place: A327, Arbourfield, Berkshire
Vera Holland was abducted and strangled, and her body set on fire near the A327 in Arbourfield, Berkshire.
Her body was found partially clothed at about 5.30am on Saturday 16 November 1996 when firemen were called out to attend a fire at a fly-tip near to the A327 in Reading, Berkshire. She was found face down on a pile of rubbish.
The fly-tip was in an area known as Two Bridges, near to the Thames Water pumping station.
Vera Holland had lived in St Barnabas Road in Shinfield Rise.
She had been missing for about two days when she was found.
She was last seen on 14 November 1996 when she went off to buy fast-food at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on Shinfield Road, five minutes’ walk from her home. However, it was thought that she didn't make it that far as she was not seen on the CCTV footage from the restaurant.
When she had gone out she had been wearing a pink coat, a green tartan shirt, a black jumper and a pair of black shoes. Her clothes have not been found.
Her post-mortem revealed that she had been strangled.
The police said that they thought that someone had started the fire to dispose of her body.
Vera Holland was married and had children.
see BBC
see BBC
see Wokingham Today
see The Guardian
see Get Reading
see Daily Mirror Mon 18 Nov 1996 Page 15