Why I KNOW my sister was murdered as we’ve forced cops to launch new probe

KATIE Beattie’s body was found in her flat half-naked, surrounded by splatters of blood and with marks on her body – but cops quickly deemed her death non-suspicious.

The 27-year-old’s heartbroken family were not convinced, fearing she was murdered, and now, after unearthing new evidence themselves police have agreed to re-open enquiries with the initial decision to drop the case overturned after a review, The Sun can reveal.

Supermarket worker Katie had been dead for up to three days when she was found in her Lancaster flat on July 1, 2024 – but her death was dismissed.

Her family have since tirelessly campaigned to get her tragic case a second look from police.

And cops have now confirmed they will be making new enquiries into her death after the family took her case to the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.

Her sister Kellie, 37, told The Sun: “It’s taken almost two years now to get to this point when we said it from the very beginning.”

Katie, a vulnerable young woman, was known to police due to her alcohol addiction and mental health issues – something her family are convinced coloured the cops’ attitude towards the initial investigation.

Katie’s loved ones say suspicious clues were either missed or seemingly overlooked, including CCTV of a man leaving the flat hours earlier and a fresh needle mark between Katie’s toes spotted at the morgue, despite no syringe being found at the scene.

Her family claim she was not a frequent drug user but was often targeted by “predators”, who would inject her with drugs while she was intoxicated, as well as rape and rob her.

Sister Kellie Rhodes and mum and dad Shonna and David Beattie reached out to retired Northern Irish police detective sergeant James Brannigan last year – and he has helped lead the campaign.

He consulted with a pathologist who gave Katie’s post-mortem a second opinion, ruling the decomposition present meant she likely died earlier than first thought.

Originally, only one of two blood samples were tested – though the independent pathologist deemed neither to be accurate enough due to clotting.

Instead, they recommended her eye fluid instead be used – which the family understood was originally overlooked, for a more accurate reading, including of substances in her system.

This was included a report Mr Brannigan and his team – from charity The Katie Trust – submitted to cops as part of the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.

Kellie told The Sun: “When you read everything you can’t really argue – it’s come from a professional.

“Literally within a week of them seeing the pathologist’s findings the case was then overturned.”

Kellie was on the school run on April 30 when an email came through from Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, of the Force Major Investigation Team, who had conducted the review.

In the email, seen by The Sun, he wrote: “I have decided to overturn the initial decision and direct further enquiries.”

The force has subsequently confirmed to The Sun “further enquiries are being conducted” following the review.

Kellie explained: “When the email came through to my phone the first thing I did was ring my mum and dad.

“I said ‘guess what, the initial decision’s been overturned’ – and we just couldn’t believe it.

“The investigation should have been more thorough from the beginning.

“It was a relief but then there is a level of frustration there still because we shouldn’t have had to go through what we did – to get endless meetings and suffer endless knockbacks.”

Shonna and David collected various items from Katie’s flat after her death that they felt could eventually be used as evidence and left them in a box in the garage.

“We always hoped that one day that someone would want it,” said Kellie.

Then, on Monday (June 1), she says officers came to collect much of it, as well as an iPad and iWatch belonging to Katie.

Timeline of Katie Beattie’s death and police investigation

Friday, June 28 2024

Katie’s parents Shonna and David say they dropped her off at her flat in Lancaster as they prepared to go on a cruise – with their daughter having been staying with them for a couple of weeks after being released from a mental health unit

Hours later she was allegedly seen on CCTV entering her flat with a man

Sunday, June 30 2024

At around 2.15pm a man, believed to be the same one who entered on Friday, was seen leaving Katie’s flat, the family say

Monday, July 1 2024

After struggling to get hold of Katie all weekend, her parents contacted the police to do a welfare check – however, this was allegedly refused, they claim
At around 6pm an ambulance was sent out and with the help of the fire brigade broke into the property – with Katie’s lifeless body found on the bed, the family say
Kellie, who was called to the scene, was under the impression cops had sent for forensic foot plates from Blackpool to gather evidence, she says

Tuesday, July 2 2024

At around 3am, police turned up at Kellie’s home with her Guinea pig and some new keys – telling her the locks had been changed and no further action was planned, she claims
Later that day, Kellie went to the mortuary to ID Katie’s body and claims staff said police were not treating the death as suspicious

Wednesday, July 3 2024

Kellie went again to the mortuary with her parents – who had arrived back early from their cruise – and persuaded staff to check Katie’s toes for puncture marks, which they found, it is claimed
Kellie went to her sister’s flat and took photos of the scene – including blood drops on the floor next to the bed, and said there was even blood on the ceiling

September 2024

Footage of police officers outside Katie’s flat laughing and joking is captured on a neighbour’s doorbell camera – with cops having taken back the keys and assured the family they’d done extensive searches inside the flat

June 12 2025

Katie’s inquest concludes: “It has not been possible on the available evidence to determine how Ms Beattie came by her death.”
A toxicology report had found traces of cocaine and pregablin, a prescription drug used to treat epilepsy but also recreationally to enhance the effects of heroin – but no alcohol

June 23 2025

Police told Katie’s family they had not found any evidence of murder or manslaughter

August 2025

The case is officially closed again by police

September 2025

Kellie contacts retired detective James Brannigan and appeals for his help in terms of their Police Professional Standards complaint and the Victims’ Right to Review Scheme

December 2025

Mr Brannigan attends a PPS meeting with police alongside Katie’s family, and they are told the case is “complex” but assure them they are doing all they can

February 9 2026

Police tell Katie’s family the VRR has been escalated to a level PIP 3 senior investigating officer

April 30 2026

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, of the Lancashire Force Major Investigation Team, following a review, tells Kellie: “I have decided to overturn the initial decision and direct further enquiries.”
Cops subsequently confirm “further enquiries are being conducted” following the review.

She was found wearing only a bra top, shorts and a single sock when she died – which the family had been given by police but have since thrown out.

“We were obviously traumatised and we just wanted rid of it,” said Kellie.

“When we emptied the flat we just bagged it all up and binned it – but if we would have known we were going to get to this point, obviously we would have kept all that because we have now been asked by police ‘have you got any of that stuff still available?’

“It’s like you could kick yourself, but then we shouldn’t have been in that position to then have to feel guilty that we haven’t kept it.”

However, it all may not be enough. Kellie said the decision not to create a proper crime scene at the time meant “they’ve lost a lot” of potential forensic evidence.

She said: “Even though it’s reopened… they can only work with a lot of what has already been done, they’ve missed so much. It is going to be circumstantial.”

Kellie went on to say she believes Katie was profiled by the police on the night, and the case was closed too quickly due to her being known to the emergency services already.

“We’ve said from the beginning that it was discrimination,” she said.

“They’ve checked Katie’s background, and seen she’s had welfare checks several times over the years and they’ve looked and thought no, it’s just one of them – alcohol-related, just basically wrap it up, they didn’t want to spend the money on it.”

Previously, the family shared doorbell camera footage with The Sun that appears to show police laughing and joking at the crime scene.

They argue it shows they didn’t take Katie’s death seriously.

“Katie was just another number,” said Kellie.

She added: “My fear is there’s other victims just like this, and families who’ve never had the chance.

“If you look at the statistics for a case being overturned through the Victim’s Right to Review is minimal.

“We’re lucky and so thankful to James – but it shouldn’t have had to go this far.

“Since the day she died, all we’ve thought about every day is her. We’ve not grieved really because from morning to night it’s been emails, phone calls, meetings.”

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