A PARISH priest has described the person who ‘brutally, violently and ruthlessly’ killed former Altinkum resident Jan Bennett as ‘evil’ at a service held in her memory.

Up to 50 residents gathered at the special service, hosted by the St Mary’s Anglican and Ecumenical Christian Fellowship, at the Alevi’s Cem Evi House in Didim on Sunday morning (Aug 16).

Mrs Bennett, the church’s parish secretary, had recently moved with her husband Nick from Altinkum to the village of Malomir, in Yambol, Bulgaria. On the night of July 30, she went out but never returned.

Her body was found the next day 200 metres from her home. She had been raped, murdered, and an attempt had been made to burn the body. Grape picker Ivan Nikolov (40), who lived in the village, has been arrested and accused of her murder.

At the memorial service, Priest-in-Charge, the Revd Maurice Ryan, said her “sudden and unexpected death” had shocked her friends and family. “Our thoughts are with her husband Nick and her friends looking after him following this unexpected turn of events.”

He added that while they had gathered with “troubled hearts and sadness”, they had come together under a common purpose for Jan who “will remain with us in spirit.”

The service included hymns Abide With Me, a prayer of penitence, readings from Jan’s friends from the Bible, the Nicene Creed and a thanksgiving for her life.

Mr Ryan recalled how on the evening of July 30 he couldn’t sleep and had a restless night. It was only the following morning that he received a call informing him that Jan had been murdered the night before.  He said: “It was as if my heart was being prepared for this sad news.”

He said: “When a lovely person like Jan dies at the hands of an evil person like the murderer in Bulgaria, it makes us think about the fundamental questions about good and evil, life and death.”

He acknowledged that when evil and violent individuals intrude themselves into other peoples lives and inflict terrible harm as they did to Jan, who was who was brutally, violently and ruthlessly murdered, it sometimes makes people doubt the existence of a loving God.” 

Mr Ryan recalled two quotes of terrible incidents from the Bible which showed that even in grief and suffering there was hope.  

In death, mourners could be comforted that God existed and that his own son himself suffered and died at the hands of violent men, he added.

He said Jan had come into the church’s life about three years ago and made her think deeply of what life was all about.

“She came every Sunday without fail and we were struck by her generosity and dedication to Nick, to the community and to others.”

A book of condolence was signed at the end of the service and this will be given to Mrs Bennett’s family at a future date.