'Lady of the Hills' murder suspect arrested decades after body found in Yorkshire

Lamduan Armitage was discovered wearing just socks and jeans and had a ripped bra hanging off her arm
-Credit:BBC/North Yorkshire Police


A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a Thai woman found dead in the Yorkshire Dales.

The remains of Lamduan Armitage, who would have now been 55, were found by hikers in a stream at Sell Gill, near Pen-y-ghent, on September 20, 2004.

For 15 years, she remained unidentified and was referred to as the 'Lady Of The Hills' until her parents recognised her from a news report and reached out to the police. DNA testing confirmed the identity of the mother of three.

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North Yorkshire Police stated: "A 61-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Lamduan Armitage in 2004. He remains in police custody for questioning."

Lamduan Armitage -Credit:North Yorkshire Police
Lamduan Armitage -Credit:North Yorkshire Police

The force appealed to the public and media to avoid speculation about the case and respect the privacy of family members and individuals linked to the case. The spokesman said: “We strongly urge the media and public to refrain from speculation about the case to ensure fair justice can be delivered in line with the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

“Where we believe there have been breaches of contempt laws, we have the option of referring them to the Attorney General’s Office to consider.

“We also urge the media to respect the rights and privacy of those connected to the case, including family members.”

Lamduan Armitage was found dead in 2004 and was not identified until 2019
Lamduan Armitage was found dead in 2004 and was not identified until 2019

In February 2023, cold case detectives and family liaison officers travelled to Thailand to speak with her family.

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Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the Cold Case Review Unit at North Yorkshire Police, quoting reference number 12170002439.

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