By BARBARA GAYLE, Staff Reporter

The former common-law wife of lottery winner 67-year-old Kenneth Neita, who challenged him in court for half of the record $140 million lottery he won in 2004, has been murdered.

The body of 47-year-old Petal Murray, businesswoman and cane farmer of Waterworks district, Westmoreland, was found in bushes in Carawena, near Petersfield, Westmoreland, on June 15.

Murray's throat was slashed and her forehead bashed. A burnt-out motorcar belonging to the deceased was also found close to the body.

There are reports that Murray was murdered because people in her community felt that she had won the court case and had refused to share the money with them.

The court case ended this year in the Supreme Court with Murray losing the legal battle.

Murray claimed that she and Neita had lived together for many years and, therefore, as his spouse, she was entitled to a half of the money he had won.

Attorney-at-law Ravil Golding who represented Neita, argued that Neita was married, was not divorced and therefore, in law, Murray was not his spouse. Mr. Justice Bryan Sykes upheld the submissions and dismissed Murray's claim.