Alva Cooke

Alva Cooke was found in the River Trent near Newark with her legs tied together on 5 May 1986.

It was thought she had been in the river for about three weeks.

An open verdict was returned at her inquest on 6 December 1986.

No cause of death could be determined, but the Coroner said that because of the nature of the ligature round her ankles, it was difficult to decide whether she had taken her own life or had been murdered. He noted that the ligature round her ankles ruled out accidental drowning.

The Coroner noted that:

It was heard that her partner had been questioned about Alva Cooke's death and interviewed at length and that the Director of Public Prosecutions had advised that there was insufficient evidence to prefer charges in respect of Alva Cooke's death.

Alva Cooke had been from Sheffield.

When she was found in the river, her feet had been tied together with a green corded rope. Her body was found in the river by a sailor, submerged under a branch.

Following the discovery of her body, a team of 20 police officers searched a 10 mile stretch of the river, questioning local houseboat owners.

A detective said:

It took two weeks before her body was identified by dental and fingerprint records.

Her partner said that they had lived together in Sheffield and that he last saw her towards the end of April 1986 when they drove to Fiskerton. He said that Alva Cooke then told him that she was going to see her parents in Keyworth and that she would send him a letter and that he returned to Sheffield the following day.

He said that Alva Cooke didn't write, but that he didn't think that that was strange.

Although the pathologist was unable to give a cause of death due to her body having been in the water for about two weeks, he said that he found no evidence of wounds or marks on her body or any signs of asphyxiation.