Man, 46, charged with murdering mother, 36, found dead in country park lake is her ‘husband’

Revealed: Man, 46, charged with murdering mother, 36, found dead in country park lake is her ‘husband and father of her five children’

  • Andrius Vengalis appeared in court charged with murdering Egle Vengaliene
  • Lithuanian mother-of-five, 35, was found dead in a park lake in Suffolk on Friday
  • Vengalis, 46, was remanded to appear again on July 19 for a plea hearing 

A man charged with murdering a young Lithuanian mother-of-five who was found dead in a country park lake last week was described in court today as the victim’s husband and the father of her children. 

Andrius Vengalis, 46, who lived with his wife Egle Vengaliene, 35, has been remanded in custody by Suffolk magistrates in Ipswich.

Ms Vengaliene, who was said to be from Rokiškis and was described by loved ones as a ‘good mother’, was found dead early last Friday morning in the water next to a care home at Brandon Country Park in Suffolk.

Prosecuting, Wayne Ablett told magistrates a preliminary post-mortem examination had found a wound to the neck and ligature marks, but ultimately indicated that the most likely cause of death would be drowning. 

Mr Ablett said Vengalis, who appeared before magistrates via a video link, was ‘married to the deceased and had five children’. He added that the alleged offence had to be committed to the crown court. 

Vengalis then again before Ipswich Crown Court this afternoon and was remanded to appear again on July 19 for a plea hearing. No application was made for bail. 

Andrius Vengalis, 46, who is charged with murdering Lithuanian mother-of-five Egle Vengaliene, was described in court as the victim’s husband and the father of her children

Ms Vengaliene, who was said to be from Rokiškis and was described by loved ones as a 'good mother', was found dead last Friday in water at Brandon Country Park in Suffolk

Ms Vengaliene, who was said to be from Rokiškis and was described by loved ones as a ‘good mother’, was found dead last Friday in water at Brandon Country Park in Suffolk

Police at the scene after a murder inquiry was launched following the discovery of the body

Police at the scene after a murder inquiry was launched following the discovery of the body

Police were called by ambulance staff just before 7am last Friday after the body of Ms Vengaliene was found. Vengalis was arrested early on Friday afternoon and questioned at the Police Investigation Centre in Bury St Edmunds.

Suffolk Police charged him with her murder last night after being granted two extensions to continue holding him in custody.

Police are still carrying out searches at the 30-acre country park and are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen Ms Vengaliene or knew her.

Forensic officers have also been searching an end terraced Victorian house in Bury Road around half a mile from the country park.

The family of Ms Vengaliene have set up a Facebook appeal to help pay for her body to be taken back to Lithuania along with her children

A friend described her as a ‘a good mother’ and a ‘pretty woman’ as well as a ‘beloved daughter and sister’.

She added that Ms Vengaliene has lived in the UK for around seven years and was from the city of Rokiskis in Lithuania.

Police at the scene after a murder inquiry was launched following the discovery of the body

Police at the scene after a murder inquiry was launched following the discovery of the body 

Police were call by the ambulance service shortly before 7am on Friday following reports that a woman's body had been found in the water (pictured are Police at the scene)

Police were call by the ambulance service shortly before 7am on Friday following reports that a woman’s body had been found in the water (pictured are Police at the scene)

A Suffolk Police statement said last night: ‘A large area of Brandon Country Park remains cordoned off by police as various searches and other enquiries are ongoing.

‘The investigation is ongoing and officers remain keen to hear from anybody who knew Egle and have not yet been in contact with police, or from anyone with a recent sighting of her prior to 7am on Friday morning.

‘Detectives are also continuing to appeal for witnesses, particularly anyone who was in the area of Brandon Country Park, Bury Road or the surrounding streets, and who may have seen or heard anything suspicious.’

Any residents in the local area with a doorbell camera or private CCTV are also asked to review their footage, as well as anyone with motion activated dash-cam footage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team either by using the online portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/363718M87-PO1 or by calling 101 and quoting reference: 17570/21.

Alternatively, contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, through their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.