A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman who was found dead after a car crash.
Iain Phillip Lawrence (52) appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court yesterday.
Sally Marie Lawrence (pictured), said by neighbours to be Lawrence's wife, was found dead after a collision in Gartree Road, Oadby, at about 6.30pm on Saturday.
Police have refused to confirm the relationship between the defendant and the dead woman.
The defendant, of Ratcliffe Road, Knighton, Leicester, who wore a grey tracksuit for his court appearance, spoke only to confirm his name and address. Police released details of the crash on Sunday afternoon, saying a red Peugeot 406 had come off the road and hit a tree. They said the then unnamed passenger had died and that the driver was being treated at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Police also said a 52-year-old man had been arrested over the collision.
On Tuesday, it emerged the deceased was Sally Lawrence, the 47-year-old managing director of company Clear Spill, in Oadby.
Residents living near to Mrs Lawrence's home in Ring Road, Oadby, said police forensic teams had been searching the property over the weekend.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "Within 90 minutes of the incident with the car, the police arrived at the house.
"They stayed there all Saturday night and all Sunday. Neighbours were not allowed near the house and I saw detectives taking away boxes.
"Forensic investigators were there until Monday lunchtime."
The neighbour said police had asked residents if they had security cameras that might have captured pictures of the street. Later on Tuesday, police named Mrs Lawrence, and released a photograph of her.
They revealed the man arrested in connection with the collision had been released on bail, pending further inquiries.
Shortly before midnight on Thursday, police announced they had charged Lawrence with murder. He appeared in court for the first time yesterday.
No details of the incident were given at the hearing.
Lawrence entered no plea and was remanded to appear at Leicester Crown Court next week.
John Boulting, production director at Clear Spill, said: "We are all grieving."
A friend of Mrs Lawrence, who did not want to be named, said: "Sally was adorable, attractive, well-spoken and very good at her job.
"You couldn't fault her."
Neighbours said she and her husband had a 10-year-old son, and that Mrs Lawrence had two adult daughters from a previous marriage.
One resident, who did not want to be named, described Mrs Lawrence as "a lovely woman", but said she and her husband "tended to keep themselves to themselves".
Another neighbour said: "I didn't really know them but knew they had a young son. It is him I feel sorry for."
Another resident said: "There was a great deal of police activity at the house, but they would not say why they were there."
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Castle, from the East Midlands Serious Operations Unit, said: "We are still appealing for anyone who was in the area to contact us. The car travelled from Ring Road via the Oadby racecourse roundabout and then on to Gartree Road – the scene of the collision.
"I am keen to hear from anyone who saw the car at any point or anyone who saw the occupants getting into the car on Ring Road on Saturday evening." Call police on 101.
