Murder trial: Woman was heard shouting before body found

Shouts of "no, no, no" were heard before a woman's body was later discovered in a Moray house, a murder trial has heard.

Lucretia Donaghy, 32, who was known as Kiesha, was found dead at her home in Anderson Drive, Elgin, in November 2023.

Owen Grant, 43, is alleged to have assaulted and murdered her by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with an unknown object.

Witness Jacqueline Grant, a neighbour of Ms Donaghy, told the High Court in Edinburgh she had heard arguing and shouting.

Ms Grant, 59, lived in a flat above, and described what she heard on 15 November, 2023.

Ms Grant said she was at home with a friend and told the court: "We heard a lot of arguing and shouting downstairs."

She heard the sound of a thud and added: "I knew it was somebody falling on the floor because it had happened before."

She said the noise was coming from Keisha's flat and told the court: "I think there was a time she was shouting 'no, no, no'."

Ms Grant said her neighbour's dog was barking and growling and added: "Obviously there was somebody there that he didn't like."

She later heard the dog pining and contacted a friend of Kiesha's, who had a key for the downstairs flat, before the dead woman was discovered.

Det Sgt Lynsey McLean said that when she went to the flat its front door was undamaged, with no sign of forced entry to the property.

The officer said the deceased was lying face down in a bedroom with her knees up towards her chest.

She was shown photographs taken at the address and said that in one there was a passport.

She said she looked at the passport and it was in the name of an Owen Grant.

She also saw a box on a counter top in the kitchen with a label on it with the same name.

The trial, before judge Lord Scott, continues.