A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman’s body was found in a west Oxfordshire village.

Thames Valley Police said officers were called on Monday, December 12, following the discovery of the woman in her 50s in a property in Windrush Place, Northmoor. Her death is being treated as unexplained.

Detectives have arrested an Oxfordshire man, whose age has not been confirmed, on suspicion of murder. He has been released on bail.

The death of the woman has shocked the village.

Parish council chairman Graham Shelton said of the reaction from the tight-knit community: “It’s what you imagine it would be.

“Everybody’s been really eyes on stalks to see the ambulance and police there for several days; obviously concerned and wondering what’s happened.”

Until the police statement on Friday morning, no official information had been released about what had happened, he said.

“I don’t think it has happened in living memory.

“It’s a big shock and a great surprise and, obviously, the police [have been doing] house to house enquiries and that of itself is a very alarming thing in a tiny village like this.

“But we are a community, we do work together, we do support each other.”

In a statement, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “The woman’s next of kin have been informed and are thoughts are with them.

“The death is being treated as unexplained and there is no danger to the public. The cause of death is yet to be established and enquiries continue.”

No information has been given on when police believe the woman had died.

The murder investigation is the fourth to be launched in Oxfordshire in the past two months.

Detectives are currently investigating deaths in Banbury, Jericho, Wood Farm and, now, in the small village of Northmoor.

The first of those probes was launched following the death of Barrie Davenport, 88, in a block of supported living flats in School Lane, Banbury, on October 17. A Northamptonshire woman, 53, was arrested on suspicion of murder but was subsequently bailed.

The second involved the fatal stabbing of electrician Alex Innes on Walton Street, Jericho, on November 13. Four people have been charged with murdering the Kidlington 25-year-old. They are expected to stand trial in May next year.

On November 30, ‘one in a billion’ Phil Breach, 59, was said to have been beaten to death in a park between Wood Farm Road and Nuffield Road in the Oxford estate Wood Farm. The trial of Liam Jones, 43, who is accused of his murder, will take place next April.

Read more from this author

This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward