THE sister of Bournemouth murder victim Heather Barnett has spoken of her family's continued distress as her killer remains free.

It's two years to the day that the 48-year-old seamstress was brutally attacked with a knife and hammer in her home in Capstone Road, Charminster.

In a bizarre twist, the killer left strands of someone else's cut hair in Heather's hands.

Her body was discovered by her two children, Terry and Caitlin, when they came home from school.

Despite extensive enquiries in Bournemouth and in Italy, no charges have been brought yet, but police chiefs remain confident the killer will be brought to justice.

Heather's sister Denise told me: "It's very sad that police have not been able to make an arrest and charge someone.

"But whoever did this appears to have been very forensically aware.

"They knew what they were doing and didn't leave anything behind them. It was totally premeditated."

She added: "Heather didn't deserve to die and in one fell swoop, her children lost their mother, their home and their way of life, everything that was familiar to them. And I lost my sister."

Denise appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

"There is now the Italian dimension to this case and people should consider any piece of information they have, no matter how insignificant it may seem."

Dorset detectives led by Det Supt Phil James widened their enquiries earlier this year to encompass Potenza, a small town in central Italy.

Forensic investigations are being carried out in Italy for the Dorset force by the Anti-Mafia police.

Officers are linking the death with the disappearance without trace of a 16-year-schoolgirl, Elisa Claps, in Potenza back in 1993.

An Italian man originally from Potenza and now living in Charminster was arrested in June in connection with Heather's death but released without charge three days later.

Denise said: "I believe Heather was killed by someone she knew or who had been able to gain access to her flat. She would never have opened the door to a stranger."

She is in regular contact with Caitlin and added: "She is brave and is trying very hard but it's very difficult for her."

Det Supt Phil James said last night: "Two years after Heather's death, we remain as committed as ever to bringing her killer to justice.

"We are still pursuing a number of lines of enquiry and I remain positive we will catch the killer."

First published: November 12