First picture of university lecturer ‘stabbed to death’ in Plymouth

Claire Butler, 48, was killed in the West Hoe area of Plymouth earlier this week

A woman who was fatally injured in Plymouth earlier this week has been described as a ‘lovely’ person by her neighbours.

Claire Butler, 48, was killed on Wednesday night and worked as a lecturer in adult nursing at Plymouth University, according to MailOnline.

A man, Paul Butler, 53, has been arrested and is the only suspect in the case.

A neighbour who knew Claire said: ‘It’s a huge shock, we only chatted to her a couple of days ago.

‘She was lovely, she moved in a couple of years ago and worked at the University, she was undertaking a PHD and lecturing in nursing. 

‘Police raided the house around 10pm – they just told us to stay indoors. 

‘She’d been away recently on business and when she came back she decided she didn’t want to live here while she was down the road so she got an apartment in West Hoe.

‘She’d only just moved her stuff in last week. She has a son and a daughter.’

Claire Butler pictured worked as a university lecturer and was described as ‘lovely’ by her neighbours

Neighbours said it was a ‘huge shock’ that the university lecturer had been killed

Another eyewitness said: ‘The scene is not looking very good.

‘I arrived at quarter past nine. 

‘When I arrived on the scene the incident was in its early stages and armed police had been deployed.

‘Then 15 minutes later a police area response team had arrived.’

Police arrived at the scene on Wednesday following a suspected stabbing in the West Hoe area

Chief Inspector Tom Cunningham said during a press conference on Thursday: ‘Cordons are in place and police units remain in the area.

‘At this time the suspect remains at large and a major response is underway.

‘We have taken the steps of releasing an image of a man we need to identify in connection to the murder investigation.’

Butler is the only suspect in the case and police said it is ‘an isolated incident and there is no immediate threat to the wider public’.

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