Beheading victim was grandmother of five
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Your support makes all the difference.The British woman stabbed and beheaded in a shop on the island of Tenerife on Friday was named last night as Jennifer Mills-Westley, a 60-year-old grandmother.
Mrs Mills-Westley, who came from Norwich and had two children, was living on the Spanish island after retiring from her job as a road safety officer, her family said last night. Her daughter Sarah described her mother as "full of life, generous of heart", and someone who "would do anything for anyone".
She added: "Mum retired a number of years ago and was fully enjoying her retirement travelling between Tenerife and France, where she spent time visiting her daughter and grandchildren, and her other daughter in Norfolk. We now have to find a way of living without her love and light, and we would ask at this difficult time for some privacy as we try to come to terms with our loss."
Mrs Mills-Westley had five grandchildren.
A Norfolk County Council spokesman said: "Jenny was a popular and well-respected member of staff, who, during her time with Norfolk County Council, worked as a road safety officer – working with many schools and children to teach cycling safety training and make Norfolk's roads safer."
Witnesses said a man entered a Chinese supermarket where Mrs Mills-Westley was shopping in the town of Los Cristianos; he stabbed, and then beheaded her without saying a word. He was then said to have run out of the shop, dropping the head on the pavement. A security guard then managed to wrestle the man to the ground.
Local police have been analysing CCTV footage of the attack. It shows a man walking into the supermarket, which sells Chinese food and tourist souvenirs. Last night they were investigating reports that the suspect had earlier been following the murdered woman, who had taken refuge in an employment centre where a security guard intervened.
The regional newspaper La Opinion said the suspect had received treatment at the psychiatric unit of a local hospital in February after being involved in previous violent incidents.
A 28-year-old Bulgarian man, Deyan Valentinov, was arrested on Friday and was in custody last night in Los Cristianos in connection with the murder.
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