Police are hunting for the missing torso of a woman whose body was allegedly cut up with power tools and dumped in a south London park, a court has heard.
Gemma Watts, 48, and Steven Sansom, 44, are accused of murdering 38-year-old Sarah Mayhew at a private property on March 8.
It is said her remains were then cut up and disposed of in Rowdown Fields in New Addington, south London.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the Old Bailey on Thursday that since police were first called out to the park last Tuesday morning to investigate human remains, parts of Ms Mayhew’s body have been identified but some are still missing.
“The deceased’s body was certainly cut up into a number of parts with use of power tools,” he said.
“There is an ongoing investigation in relation to the whereabouts of the entirety of the deceased’s body.”
The court has heard Ms Mayhew’s torso is still missing.
Police were first alerted when a dog came across a human bone.
Arms, legs, and a head were then located nearby in the park, with DNA tests confirming them as belonging to Ms Mayhew.
Watts and Sansom have both been charged with murder and preventing the lawful and decent burial of Ms Mayhew’s body.
Watts, of Featherbed Lane in New Addington, appeared via videolink from HMP Bronzefield for a preliminary hearing in front of Judge Philip Katz KC.
The court heard it is alleged both she and Sansom were present at the time of the murder.
She was remanded into custody until a plea hearing on June 27. A provisional four-week trial has been set for February 17 next year.
Sansom, of Burnell Road, Sutton, south-west London, also appeared at the same court later on Thursday.
He was also remanded in custody. No pleas were entered on Thursday.
