British woman diplomat found murdered; raped and strangled in Lebanon
December 18, 2017 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Rebecca Dykes, who is said to be in her 30s, was found dead on the side of a highway in Lebanon, police said.
(Family handout)
A diplomat working at the British Embassy in Lebanon was found dead Saturday by the side of a road, reportedly raped and strangled.
Rebecca Dykes’ body was found Saturday on the side of a highway east of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, the BBC reported Sunday. Senior police sources told the news site that Dykes, believed to be 30, was sexually assaulted and strangled.
A forensic official also told The Associated Press that Dykes was strangled with a rope. He added that authorities are investigating whether she was sexually assaulted.
Dykes reportedly met friends and colleagues at a bar in central Beirut the night before she was killed, the Telegraph reported. She left the bar just after midnight.
Dykes had been living in Beirut since January while working as the Department for International Development’s program and police manager, according to the BBC. Friends said she was flying home for Christmas Saturday.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened. We request that the media respect our privacy,” Dykes’ family said in a statement.
A spokesman for U.K.’s Department for International Development said an investigation into the death is being conducted.
“Following the death of a British woman in Beirut, we are providing support to the family,” the spokesman told the BBC. ”We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said in a statement that the whole embassy was “deeply shocked and saddened by this news.”
The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. My thoughts are with Becky’s family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. We’re providing consular support to her family working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation.
— Hugo Shorter (@HugoShorter) December 17, 2017
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam
