Natalia Strelchenko, a renowned Russian-born pianist, was found murdered over the weekend and her long-time partner suspected in the gruesome death appeared in court on Wednesday in Manchester, England.
Strelchenko, 38, also known professionally as Natalia Strelle, had performed around the world, making her debut with the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra at age 12,
according to her website.
She was found dead with head and neck injuries on Sunday at a house in Manchester,
according to the BBC News.
John Martin, 48, described by the
Manchester Evening News as Strelchenko's partner, is accused in Strelchenko's death and the attempted murder of a youth who has not been identified, said BBC News.
"Police and paramedics were called to Culcheth Lane, Newton Heath, to reports that a woman had been assaulted at around 12:45a.m. on Sunday," wrote John Scheerhout of the Evening News. "Paramedics attempted to revive her at the scene but she died a short time later in hospital. A Home Office post-mortem examination found that … Natalia, who changed her surname to Strelle, died from head and neck injuries."
Neighbors expressed shock.
"They go away quite a lot, they are musicians, they are bright and talented," Juliana Hulse, 31, told the Evening News. "I saw them taking a woman away to the hospital. She looked quite badly hurt. We never expected that to happen. It was so out of the blue."
Strelchenko performances included appearances at Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall in central London while receiving positive reviews, said the
Guardian. She had been an artist in residence at Leeds College of Art and a research fellow at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo before moving to England.
Along with her performances, Strelchenko had worked as an artistic director at the Menestrelles International Chamber Music Academy, said the News.
"Natalia was a talented, beautiful, much loved mother, daughter, sister and friend. She will be greatly missed," Strelchenko's family said in a statement.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.