By . Neil Sears . and Mario Ledwith . and Richard Marsden . 'Talented': Valerie Graves ran her own craft studio and gallery called Fin Taw at the Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre in Roxburghshire . A grandmother murdered in a £1.6million waterside mansion was attacked and killed in her bedroom, police revealed yesterday. Valerie Graves, 55, who had been house-sitting over Christmas with family, was found beaten to death with head and facial injuries on Monday morning. Although police released details of where mother-of-two Miss Graves died, they gave no indication they were any nearer to solving the mystery of her death. Miss Graves, an artist, had been staying at the house – in a village featured in ITV drama Midsomer Murders – with her sister Janet, 60, Janet’s architect boyfriend Nigel Acres, 59, and the sisters’ elderly mother Eileen, 87. She went to bed at around 10pm on Sunday, and nothing more was heard of her. Twelve hours later, she was found dead in her room, at the rear of the house. Ernie Mears, 80, who enjoyed a meal with Miss Graves’ family at the property on Boxing Day, said Miss Graves usually slept in a bedroom on the ground floor of the house and the other relatives normally slept in upstairs bedrooms. The retired builder, a friend of the victim’s mother, added: ‘I just can’t believe that somebody would break into the house … If it had been a burglary she would have screamed because Nigel, Jan and Eileen were upstairs.’ No struggle or cries for help appear to have been reported by her relatives in the house and police yesterday refused to say whether Miss Graves was asleep or in bed when attacked. While detectives have not ruled out the possibility she was killed by a random intruder, they are also investigating whether the attack was carried out by somebody  she knew. Scroll down for video . Emotion: The victim's son Tim Wood paid tribute to her today while sitting alongside his sister Jemima Harrison . Distraught: The siblings were visibly emotional as Mr Wood read out his statement at a press conference . Asked about the Daily Mail’s discovery . that the house is linked to a swinger’s club – which the owner denies . any involvement with – police said they were ‘investigating the full . circumstances of what happened’. The killing took place in the picturesque waterside village of Bosham, West Sussex. The . six-bedroom house, which backs on to an inlet from Chichester harbour . and boasts its own jetty, is owned by businessman Malcolm Chamberlain, . 66, who is on holiday in Costa Rica with his wife Caroline. Search: Detective Superintendent Nick May, pictured with Chief Inspector Tanya Jones, said that police are looking for anyone in the area with blood-stained clothing . Looking for clues: Police officers search the area surrounding the £1.6million home in Bosham, West Sussex, where Miss Graves was found dead on Monday. She had suffered severe head and facial injuries . Lavish: The house on Smugglers Lane in Bosham which Miss Graves had been housesitting when she was murdered . Murder investigation: A car at the property is loaded onto the back of a truck and driven away as police investigate the killing of Valerie Graves . Yesterday Miss Graves’ son Tim Wood, . 31, told journalists his mother’s murder had been ‘devastating’ and a . ‘complete shock’ for the family. Questioned: Roy Wood - the father Miss Graves' two children - was questioned but not arrested . Struggling . to contain his emotions, he said his mother, originally from Essex, had . recently moved to Sussex from Scotland to be closer to her family. Mr . Wood who entered the conference holding hands with his sister Jemima . Harrison, 33, said: ‘Our mum was much loved and will be sorely missed by . her whole family. 'She was a free spirit who enjoyed her life and was a . talented artist.’ He added: ‘This has been devastating for the family and has come as a complete shock. ‘We . would appeal to anyone who has any information about this, no matter . how trivial it is, to contact the police to help us catch whoever has . done this horrible act.’ Mr . Wood is Miss Graves’ son by her ex-partner Roy Wood, 65, a former rock . band roadie who has been questioned by police but not arrested or . cautioned. Detective . Superintendent Nick May would not confirm whether there had been a . struggle before the killing and suggested a botched burglary could not . be ruled out. He added that . Mr and Mrs Chamberlain had been ‘fully supportive’ of the police . operation but were ‘very shocked’ by the killing. Police advised locals to keep their properties locked and to report any suspicious behaviour.
Valerie Graves's family tell of their 'complete shock' at her murder .
Police appeal to public for information about the possibility of someone in the area with blood-stained clothes .
Son Tom says the murder victim will be 'sorely missed' by relatives .
Millionaire owner of the home Malcolm Chamberlain, 66, was on holiday with his family in Costa Rica at the time of the murder .
Mr Chamberlain was apparently pictured on a sex website which said he was interested in 'casual sex' but he denies posting the profile .
By . Neil Sears . and Mario Ledwith . and Richard Marsden . 'Talented': Valerie Graves ran her own craft studio and gallery called Fin Taw at the Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre in Roxburghshire . A grandmother murdered in a £1.6million waterside mansion was attacked and killed in her bedroom, police revealed yesterday. Valerie Graves, 55, who had been house-sitting over Christmas with family, was found beaten to death with head and facial injuries on Monday morning. Although police released details of where mother-of-two Miss Graves died, they gave no indication they were any nearer to solving the mystery of her death. Miss Graves, an artist, had been staying at the house – in a village featured in ITV drama Midsomer Murders – with her sister Janet, 60, Janet’s architect boyfriend Nigel Acres, 59, and the sisters’ elderly mother Eileen, 87. She went to bed at around 10pm on Sunday, and nothing more was heard of her. Twelve hours later, she was found dead in her room, at the rear of the house. Ernie Mears, 80, who enjoyed a meal with Miss Graves’ family at the property on Boxing Day, said Miss Graves usually slept in a bedroom on the ground floor of the house and the other relatives normally slept in upstairs bedrooms. The retired builder, a friend of the victim’s mother, added: ‘I just can’t believe that somebody would break into the house … If it had been a burglary she would have screamed because Nigel, Jan and Eileen were upstairs.’ No struggle or cries for help appear to have been reported by her relatives in the house and police yesterday refused to say whether Miss Graves was asleep or in bed when attacked. While detectives have not ruled out the possibility she was killed by a random intruder, they are also investigating whether the attack was carried out by somebody  she knew. Scroll down for video . Emotion: The victim's son Tim Wood paid tribute to her today while sitting alongside his sister Jemima Harrison . Distraught: The siblings were visibly emotional as Mr Wood read out his statement at a press conference . Asked about the Daily Mail’s discovery . that the house is linked to a swinger’s club – which the owner denies . any involvement with – police said they were ‘investigating the full . circumstances of what happened’. The killing took place in the picturesque waterside village of Bosham, West Sussex. The . six-bedroom house, which backs on to an inlet from Chichester harbour . and boasts its own jetty, is owned by businessman Malcolm Chamberlain, . 66, who is on holiday in Costa Rica with his wife Caroline. Search: Detective Superintendent Nick May, pictured with Chief Inspector Tanya Jones, said that police are looking for anyone in the area with blood-stained clothing . Looking for clues: Police officers search the area surrounding the £1.6million home in Bosham, West Sussex, where Miss Graves was found dead on Monday. She had suffered severe head and facial injuries . Lavish: The house on Smugglers Lane in Bosham which Miss Graves had been housesitting when she was murdered . Murder investigation: A car at the property is loaded onto the back of a truck and driven away as police investigate the killing of Valerie Graves . Yesterday Miss Graves’ son Tim Wood, . 31, told journalists his mother’s murder had been ‘devastating’ and a . ‘complete shock’ for the family. Questioned: Roy Wood - the father Miss Graves' two children - was questioned but not arrested . Struggling . to contain his emotions, he said his mother, originally from Essex, had . recently moved to Sussex from Scotland to be closer to her family. Mr . Wood who entered the conference holding hands with his sister Jemima . Harrison, 33, said: ‘Our mum was much loved and will be sorely missed by . her whole family. 'She was a free spirit who enjoyed her life and was a . talented artist.’ He added: ‘This has been devastating for the family and has come as a complete shock. ‘We . would appeal to anyone who has any information about this, no matter . how trivial it is, to contact the police to help us catch whoever has . done this horrible act.’ Mr . Wood is Miss Graves’ son by her ex-partner Roy Wood, 65, a former rock . band roadie who has been questioned by police but not arrested or . cautioned. Detective . Superintendent Nick May would not confirm whether there had been a . struggle before the killing and suggested a botched burglary could not . be ruled out. He added that . Mr and Mrs Chamberlain had been ‘fully supportive’ of the police . operation but were ‘very shocked’ by the killing. Police advised locals to keep their properties locked and to report any suspicious behaviour.
enjoyed a meal with Miss Graves’ family at the swinger’s club – which the owner denies . any Chamberlain, . 66, who is on holiday in Costa Rica with his wife Caroline. Search: Detective looking for anyone in the area with blood-stained will be sorely missed by . her whole family. 'She complete shock. ‘We . would appeal to anyone who has any information about this, no matter . how ‘fully supportive’ of the police . operation but