Police investigate link between deaths

Police are investigating a possible link between the discovery yesterday of a 21-year-old woman stabbed to death at her home in south Wales and the death of a man who drove into a dock with his hands taped to the steering wheelof his Mercedes car.

The man, who has not been identified, drove off the quayside at Prince of Wales Dock, Swansea, at about 8am.

Although police have not confirmed that his death was a suicide, they are investigating the possibility that he might have killed himself because of the murder of Beverley Payne, a part-time model and aerobics teacher. Detective Superintendent Wynne Phillips, of South Wales Police, said: "We are treating it as a murder and both cases are linked. We believe there is a connection between the two."

At about midday, officers investigating the man's death received a tip-off that Ms Payne had been found dead in nearby Neath. Her son, three, had opened the door to a friend saying: "I think Mummy is dead."

Ms Payne – who was divorced and living with a new partner – was found with multiple stab wounds to her chest. Her son and 10-month-old daughter were unharmed. Sharon Johns, a neighbour, said Ms Payne had owned a silver Mercedes.