A 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a wealthy restaurant owner, 69-year-old Susan Addis. According to a press release from Sussex Police, Addis was found suffering from stab wounds at her home on Thursday, January 7, in Brighton, England. Few details have been revealed about the attack, but friends told The Sun there was an “altercation” at her home.
Police arrested the 17-year-old, whose identity has not been made public, on suspicion of murder. He was charged with murder on Friday and is currently in custody. Authorities have not said what the relationship was between the suspect and Addis, who lived alone, but the two did know each other, police confirmed.
The investigation is ongoing, the press release indicated, led by investigators from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.
The Teen ‘Appeared Emotionless’ in Court & an Autopsy Is Set for Monday
According to The Sun, Addis was found dead at her home, a cottage in Withdean on the edge of Brighton, just before 7 p.m. on January 7. A friend who spoke to the outlet on condition of anonymity said, “By the sounds of things there has been some sort of altercation in the house and Sue has suffered some injuries – that’s all I know.”
The Sussex Police said in the press release, “Although formal identification has yet to take place we can confirm that the deceased is believed to be Susan Addis. She was found dead with stab injuries although the cause of death awaits confirmation at a postmortem to be held on Monday.”
The teenager appeared in court and confirmed he understood his murder charge during a brief hearing, The Sun reported. He will be back in court on Monday, the outlet reported, saying the teen “appeared emotionless” during the hearing.
Addis Was a Popular Restaurant Owner in the U.K. & Her Restaurants Were Often Frequented by Celebrities & Professional Athletes
Addis was the wealthy and well-known owner of Brighton restaurants Donatello and Pinocchio, which were known for attracting celebrities and Premier League footballers, according to The Sun. The chain was named one of the top 100 restaurants in the U.K. in 2004 and it is worth about £6 million (over $8 million), the outlet reported.
Donatello was opened with Addis’ husband Pietro and they ran it together with their sons Leo, Stefano and Mikele, The Sun reported. Beyond her restaurants, Addis was known for her charity and community work and was a popular figure in Brighton. Caroline Lucas, the member of parliament for the Green Party in Brighton, wrote on Twitter:
So shocked and saddened to hear devastating news of death of the amazing Sue Addis. So many in Brighton will be heartbroken – she was such a special presence in the city, her passion for this place and its people was infectious, and her kindness legendary. She’ll be hugely missed.
Addis’ family issued a statement through their lawyers asking for privacy, cited in the Sussex Police’s press release about the incident: “At this very sad and distressing time, the family kindly asks that all media respect their privacy. The family are currently in a state of shock.”
READ NEXT: Social Media Influencer Set on Fire & Killed by Ex-Husband, Family Says