Sometimes the justice system fails the family of murder victims.
Five years ago Nattallie Correa, 27, was found battered to death after a fire at her flat in Dagenham. Her boyfriend, who escaped the blaze with her two youngest children, was charged but acquitted after a retrial at the Old Bailey.
Nattallie’s family are now left in limbo.
As her sister Mellissa says in a letter to murdermap:
The worst thing is the murderer is walking free right now due to the justice system. It is a disgrace and the pain my family are still going through is never going to leave us, because it is like the justice system has given up on the whole case, when really someone from outside the case should look over everything properly because my sister is too special to get forgotten about.
My sister’s case is listed as unsolved. So what does that mean that she murdered herself and set herself on fire? Please if anything at all could be re-looked in to or could be done please we will be so grateful or please let me know if I could do anything by myself to get my sister’s case open again. I need help I can’t forget what has happened and I will never give up on my sister’s memory.
Mellissa still remembers the day that she was told about her sister’s death.
On the 19th November 2009 at 4am in the morning I got a knock on my address, I answered the door it was a police constable standing there he asked if I was Mellissa Correa and could he come in I said yes his first words was could I sit down I went no tell me what’s wrong please, he’ said I’m so sorry there has been a fire at your sister’s address and the children and the male are out safe but I’m sorry your sister was inside and has been pronounced dead, my heart felt like it crushed I fell to the floor and lost my breath crying, the first words I cried out to the officer was no it isn’t true my sister has never smoked or had candles lit at night, never, I said there’s something seriously
wrong here I tell you. That afternoon the police came and informed us that my sister was murdered the family were distraught even more.
Mellissa also accuses the police for a ‘lack of effort and commitment’ during their investigation. She adds:
Hopefully my sister’s case will get looked at carefully and thoroughly like it should have been in the first place.
Anyone with new information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Lack of evidence is always going to frustrate those who know who did it, but the justice system cannot just take their word for it. The legal system didn’t ‘give up’, it just came to the end of its options in trying to get a conviction.
There certainly is a lack of information on many things some of which you publicise well hear. For example Raymond Mills who killed most likely Linda Mills. No closure one year one.
We are trying to find out the date and will hopefully update the case in the near future.