Chippenham car park body identified

Police have today (Saturday) formally identified the woman whose body was found after a fire in the car park of Sainsbury’s in Chippenham.

Karen Archard, 53, from Westcroft, Chippenham, was found at approximately 3am on Tuesday.

Her body was discovered after the fire service put out a fire in Sainsbury’s car park, in Bath Road, Chippenham.

Her next of kin have been informed and it was announced earlier this week that police are not treating her death as suspicious.

Although, they would still like the public to come forward if they have any information which would assist in their investigation.

The police would like to speak to a man who passed through the car park with a pedal cycle at 1.54 am as he may have information that might help in putting together Karen’s last movements.

Detective Inspector Matt Davey said: “We would like to thank all of the people who have come forward and to the community of Chippenham who have been supportive of this investigation.

"We are still seeking information from anyone who can help us put together Karen’s last movements and we would ask you to get in touch with us if you think you can help.”

Anyone with information can call Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Comments(16)

vodo90 says...
8:03am Mon 13 Aug 12

Very sorry for the family and friends. But wen are the police going to explian to the people of Chippenham and the surrounding areas how the death isn't suspicious and there isn't a murderer out there. Until they do I know I can't rule that out.

Grumpyoldgit99 says...
10:17am Mon 13 Aug 12

Agreed. How can a woman die, get covered in rubbish which is then set alight and it not be suspicious? We were told that men were seen filling up petrol cans in the area and the police produced footage of people they wanted to interview. I have assumed that Chippenham after dark is not a safe place to be at the moment as the police are searching for the perpetrators of a heinous crime. What is the real situation?

piddle says...
11:33am Mon 13 Aug 12

Vodo90 and grumpy...I'm sure the Police will contact you immediatley to explain what happened. I would however prefer for them to get on with their business.

lordbuckethead says...
1:40pm Mon 13 Aug 12

So communicating with the public and assuring them a community is safe is nothing to do with the police?, especially the neighborhood policing teams?

Piddle - suggest you buy a dictionary - immediately!

norville says...
4:16pm Mon 13 Aug 12

I am fairly sure that, if there was any danger to the public the police they would have said so.
No suspicious circumstances means just that, stop scaremongering.

piddle says...
4:46pm Mon 13 Aug 12

'Her next of kin have been informed and it was announced earlier this week that police are not treating her death as suspicious' Lordbuckethead - suggest you buy an uptodate newspaper - immediately! As Norville says stop scaremongering.

underdogs says...
6:22pm Mon 13 Aug 12

What a horrific death, who would actually choose to die that way ?? I am told this lady was well known and well liked locally, and I would like to think the Gazette will tell us more soon - maybe when the police release some more information they hold that lead up to this death. I feel there are still a number of questions to be answered here, and hope her family are properly supported and told the whole truth.

notscot says...
7:53pm Mon 13 Aug 12

underdogs wrote:
What a horrific death, who would actually choose to die that way ?? I am told this lady was well known and well liked locally, and I would like to think the Gazette will tell us more soon - maybe when the police release some more information they hold that lead up to this death. I feel there are still a number of questions to be answered here, and hope her family are properly supported and told the whole truth.
Pack it in.
You imply in more than one article that you know, the police know and the "agencies" know - so much more than is printed here. You imply that no-one has really been told the truth - that someone is lying by ommission.
Nice thing to do to her family. Get in touch & tell them - or pipe down.

underdogs says...
9:44pm Mon 13 Aug 12

Mr Angry - it appears you consider the 'comments' section on the WGH website is reserved only for people who share the same view as yourself - reserved for the 'PC' members of our establishment ? Again you exagerate & spin what I say and you appear to be experienced in this kind of misrepresentation ? Quite simply - you do not know what you are on about, you are creating damaging spin. Her family, friends & neighbours & certain others almost certainly know most of the truth already - and im feel from what they know already they will want the truth of many matters related to her sad death to come out. I trust the family will need to know the whole truth of these matters for their own peace of mind and to have proper closure of these matters,and might need to be encouraged to ask probing questions. It is clear at least one person would rather matters are kept under wraps? - although most of society now expect openess and transparency from our agencies and newspapers. Read the other comments on this story, and elsewhere on the internet, some contain valuable relevent information.

notscot says...
10:31pm Mon 13 Aug 12

underdogs wrote:
Mr Angry - it appears you consider the 'comments' section on the WGH website is reserved only for people who share the same view as yourself - reserved for the 'PC' members of our establishment ? Again you exagerate & spin what I say and you appear to be experienced in this kind of misrepresentation ? Quite simply - you do not know what you are on about, you are creating damaging spin. Her family, friends & neighbours & certain others almost certainly know most of the truth already - and im feel from what they know already they will want the truth of many matters related to her sad death to come out. I trust the family will need to know the whole truth of these matters for their own peace of mind and to have proper closure of these matters,and might need to be encouraged to ask probing questions. It is clear at least one person would rather matters are kept under wraps? - although most of society now expect openess and transparency from our agencies and newspapers. Read the other comments on this story, and elsewhere on the internet, some contain valuable relevent information.
You liar.
How dare you purport to "know" more about this poor woman's death than her family and friends?
When did YOU last speak to her?
"- reserved for the 'PC' members of our establishment ?"
Leave her & her family alone with your conspiracy garbage.
You've put all those words into print - yet still you spout only rumour & speculation. Leave her friends and family ALONE.

redrum says...
9:08am Tue 14 Aug 12

Can we show some respect here. How about we let the police do their job and leave her poor family to try and cope with this sad situation.

underdogs says...
1:41pm Tue 14 Aug 12

Totally agree redrum, enough said !

DaveHegarty says...
3:51pm Tue 14 Aug 12

It's not often I agree with RedRum but quite right!

If they are saying it's nothing suspicious then it means exactly that. It's not a third world country where murders go ignored.

This scaremongering is utterly ludicrous! You, as a newpaper reader are not entitled to the full facts; that's for the family, police and coroner at this point.

notscot says...
6:59pm Tue 14 Aug 12

DaveHegarty wrote:
It's not often I agree with RedRum but quite right!

If they are saying it's nothing suspicious then it means exactly that. It's not a third world country where murders go ignored.

This scaremongering is utterly ludicrous! You, as a newpaper reader are not entitled to the full facts; that's for the family, police and coroner at this point.
Sanity at last.

Frustrated&Concerned says...
6:58pm Thu 16 Aug 12

Women found set alight in carpark...police are not treating her death as suspicious.

47 year old blasted to death with a shotgun in Devises....police are not treating his death as suspicious.

Just what is suspicious in Wiltshire..??

notscot says...
10:10am Fri 17 Aug 12

Frustrated&Conce
rned
wrote:
Women found set alight in carpark...police are not treating her death as suspicious.

47 year old blasted to death with a shotgun in Devises....police are not treating his death as suspicious.

Just what is suspicious in Wiltshire..??
Karen Archard wasn't murdered and didn't die of natural causes. Terribly sad - but not suspicious. The family and police are aware of the reasons why - and it's not necessary to publish them. The public don't have a right to know eveything.

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