Colchester death: University of Suffolk lecturer Antonella Castelvedere was stabbed in neck

A university lecturer whose death is being investigated as murder was stabbed in the neck, an inquest has heard.

Dr Antonella Castelvedere, 52, was found by police seriously injured at a property in Wickham Road, Colchester, on 1 June and pronounced dead at the scene.

Ertan Ersoy, 50, also of Wickham Road, has been charged with her murder and appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

He is due back before the same court for a plea hearing on August 2, and faces a trial in January 2023 with a time estimate of 10 days.

Coroner’s officer Lynsey Chaffe told an inquest hearing on Thursday that Dr Castelvedere’s provisional cause of death was recorded as a “stab wound to the neck”.

She said that Dr Castelvedere was “found with stab wounds at an address in Colchester” and that her death was confirmed by a paramedic at 12.23pm.

Lincoln Brookes, the senior coroner for Essex opened the inquest in Chelmsford before suspending proceedings “pending the outcome of… criminal proceedings”.

Ersoy, who is accused of the murder of Dr Castelvedere, spoke only to confirm his identity when he appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court by video link from Chelmsford Prison on Thursday.

No application for bail was made and he was remanded in custody until the next hearing.

Essex Police said officers were called to a report of an injured man at an address in Wickham Road shortly after 11.45am on 1 June.

Police found Ersoy with injuries and Dr Castelvedere, who was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

The University of Suffolk described Dr Castelvedere in a statement as “a widely respected and well-liked member of staff at the university where she was an outstanding academic in English and critical writing”.

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