In a police van, an economics lecturer accused of stabbing his Italian-born academic wife to death in their Essex family home appeared in court today to face a murder charge.
Dr. Antonella Castelvedere, 52, was discovered seriously injured with knife wounds at their £260,000 Victorian home in Wickham Road, Colchester, shortly after 11.45 a.m. on Wednesday and died at the scene.
Her husband Ertan Ersoy also taught at the University of Suffolk in Ipswich, where the mother-of-one lectured in English and Critical Writing.
Ersoy, 50, was detained and sent to the hospital after being found injured at his home. He was charged with murder by Essex Police last night, and he is due to appear in Colchester Magistrates’ Court today.
Ersoy is listed as a Visiting Fellow at the university’s Suffolk Business School on biographical websites.
He holds a BA in Political Science and Public Administration from Ankara University’s Political Science Faculty, as well as an MA and PhD in Economics from Marmara University in Turkey.
‘My thanks go out to those who have helped us and we would welcome any more information others can offer. This was an isolated incident and there is no threat posed to the wider public in Colchester.’
Flowers have been put outside their bricked home, where police officers stood guard yesterday, by well-wishers.
‘Our thoughts are with all those affected by this very sad event,’ read one note left on a nearby street. ‘From the Errington Road residents.’
The family’s house, which has a bright red door and a rectangular gravel front garden, was surrounded by crime scene tape.
Two marked police cars stood outside the house yesterday, as residents expressed their disbelief at what had occurred.
‘It’s all horrible,’ said a woman gardening across the street. Worst of all, she is the mother of a daughter. On the weekend, there were some people crying outside the house, and I’m guessing they were her family. I may have seen her ten times, but we merely exchanged greetings. We didn’t see her very often, but she was always kind.’
Dr. Castelvedere was born in the northern Italian town of Bagnolo Mella, in the province of Brescia Lombardy. She had spent the previous 25 years in the United Kingdom.
Neighbors who staged a Platinum Jubilee street party on their street over the weekend have left flowers outside her house in her memory.
Following police advice, residents in the street decided to go ahead with the party to commemorate the Queen’s 70-year reign. She was described as “quiet” and “well-liked.”
Spartaco, a former director of an agricultural cooperative, Dr. Castelvedere’s mother Mina, and brother Ferruccio still live in Bagnolo Mella. So yet, they haven’t spoken anything about her death.
‘The University of Suffolk community is very saddened by the untimely passing of Dr Antonella Castelvedere,’ the university stated in a statement.
‘Antonella was a well-liked and well-respected member of staff at the university, where she excelled as an English and Critical Writing professor. At this awful occasion, our sympathies are with her family.’
‘Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Course Leader of the MA Creative and Critical Writing,’ according to the university’s website.
‘With an international perspective, she has a lengthy history of boosting student experience via academic leadership, innovative curriculum design, and professional partnerships,’ according to the statement.
‘You can’t imagine somebody would ever want to harm her,’ a saddened former student, now a teacher, said today in homage.
‘She was always a positive and bubbly person,’ said the 28-year-old, who did not want to be identified. She was a natural power.
‘She exuded a sense of joy and positivity.’ She was one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, and she was very concerned about education.’