Hunt continues for knife in Horfield murder probe

A MAN was last night being quizzed by detectives after a woman was stabbed to death in a suburban Bristol street in broad daylight.

Police launched a manhunt and arrested Barach Bandavad, 35, following the death of the woman in her 50s in Horfield at Saturday lunchtime. After releasing his picture and making a public appeal for help tracking him down, officers arrested Mr Bandavad on suspicion of murder in the early hours of Sunday morning in Southmead.

Yesterday, police called on members of the public to help them in their search for the knife used during the fatal attack in Highbury Road.

It is believed the killer fled the scene shortly after the attack at midday.

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A police helicopter was quickly scrambled to the scene as a major search operation got under way.

A police cordon was set up in Highbury Road after the incident and it was extended further along the road on Sunday.

Residents of Highbury Road were shocked to find their street blocked off for most of the weekend.

A white tent was erected over the scene, outside a property in the street, as crime scene investigators conducted a forensic examination of the area.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Crisp, who is leading the murder investigation, said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the public for their help in locating the man we were searching for.

"We are still keen to hear from anyone who may know where this man was between midday yesterday and 1am this morning. Anyone who may know is urged to come forward; your information will be treated in confidence."

DCI Crisp added: "This investigation is ongoing and I am extremely keen to locate a knife that may have been used. I would urge members of the public to remain vigilant and call the police if they locate this item. Please do not touch it."

Police lifted the cordon in Highbury Road at 6pm yesterday. By 8pm, officers were still on the scene and were carrying out investigations inside a terraced Victorian house close to the spot where the woman was killed.

A single bouquet of flowers had been left on the pavement where the victim had died. One resident, who had been living in the street for 18 years, said officers had been going in and out of a rental property in the road as part of their investigation for most of yesterday.

The man, who asked not to be named, returned home on Saturday to find his street had been cordoned off by police.

The man, who discovered a couple of his neighbours had witnessed the incident, said: "I was incredibly shocked because you don't expect to be told you're not allowed to go into your own home. It's not the sort of thing you expect to happen in Horfield – it's not where things happen. It's a quiet residential street with some student accommodation."