spokeswoman last Tuesday told The Royal Gazette that Beatrice Simons, who laster died of injuries sustained in an assault in her home, had been detained over night and was to be released that day. That statement was made by a nursing supervisor at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Police probing the brutal murder of an elderly widow in her own home last night revealed she was able to talk to Police before she died. The news came as the man leading the hunt, Det. Ch. Insp. Carlton Adams said his officers were "following a number of lines of inquiry'' into the death of Beatrice Simons, 69. Mrs. Simons -- who lived alone -- suffered severe head injuries after a frenzied attack at her Dockyard home late last Monday. She is understood to have been unconscious and on a life support machine prior to her death on Sunday night -- six days after she was attacked. But Det. Ch. Insp. Adams, speaking outside the scene of the attack, confirmed: "One of our officers did speak with Mrs. Simons.'' Det. Ch. Insp. Adams, however, declined to discuss what Mrs. Simons had told Police. But he said that Police were so far pleased with the public response to appeals for information on the killing. He added: "We have questioned a number of people. We have had a response for the initial appeal and we have had a hopeful response.'' And he said: "We believe that the purpose was one of robbery....we don't know who the culprit is but we are working to determine that.'' It is also understood that a top pathologist from overseas is being flown in to carry out an autopsy on Mrs. Simons' body. Last night members of Mrs. Simons family were too upset to discuss the murder. One neighbour -- who asked not to be named -- said she suspected the attack was motivated by drugs. And she claimed that drug dealing in the area had increased dramatically in the Sandys area in recent times. The news came a day after The Royal Gazette reported that a full-scale murder hunt had been launched. Ch. Insp. Adams will lead a team of around 20 probing the slaying of Mrs. Simons, understood to be a Bermudian of Acorean extraction, and long-time employee of the Belmont Hotel. He said a weapon -- which he described as a blunt instrument -- had been used in the attack, although he added it had not been found, despite a massive search of the area around Mrs. Simons' Cochrane Road, Sandys, home by a team of 30 officers on Friday. Ch. Insp. Adams added: "I believe a blunt object was used but we don't have any further details on that.'' Mrs. Simons was found with blood pouring from head and arm wounds after a neighbour heard screams and called Police. Det. Ch. Insp. Adams added that the inquiry was originally treated as a serious assault, with the Western CID at Somerset leading the inquiry under a "very experienced detective.'' But he said that when it became apparent that Mrs. Simons was likely to die, the Major Incident Room, which opened up yesterday, was brought into play. The Royal Gazette reported the attack last Wednesday. A Police spokeswoman, however, told a reporter on Tuesday that Mrs. Simons had been detained overnight and was to be released that day. Det. Ch. Insp. Adams issued a fresh appeal for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious on the night of the attack to come forward. He said the weather at the time of the assault was "cold, very rainy and blustery.'' Mr. Adams also moved to calm fears among residents of the area, described as quiet with a "village-like'' atmosphere.

The Royal Gazette reported that residents in the Cochrane Road area -- particularly women -- were living in fear that Mrs. Simons' killer could strike again. But Mr. Adams said: "I would also like to reassure the residents of Somerset and this area that there will be an increased Police presence as a result of this investigation.'' And he stressed: "We have no reason to believe that whoever did this is likely to strike in the area again.''