Family pay tribute to "beautiful, funny, kind" daughter and sister

Joe Rankin has appeared in court charged with Emma Potter's murder

Emma Potter
Author: Amber RoderickPublished 17th Nov 2022
Last updated 18th Nov 2022

The family of a woman whose body was discovered in a flat in Stroud have paid tribute to her.

Emma Potter, 40, was found dead by officers at her home on Chapel Street on Friday 4 November.

Her family said: "We mourn the death of our daughter, Emma, who joined our family as a beautiful five-month-old baby.

"She enjoyed all kinds of music and loved to sing. Her heroine was Whitney Houston. She longed to be like her.

"All her life, Emma tried to be kind to anyone who befriended her. Life wasn't always easy, but she was trying to find ways to improve herself. We will never know whether she would have succeeded.

Emma Potter

"Who would have thought that beautiful, funny, dark-eyed baby would have had such a tragic end?"

Gloucestershire Police say Emma's death was initially treated as being unexplained, but the results of a post-mortem examination led to a murder investigation being opened.

Joe Rankin, aged 33 and of Langtoft Road in Stroud, was charged with her murder.

He appeared before Bristol Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday 16 November).

The Major Crime Investigation Team say they are still keen to hear from anyone who has any relevant information which could assist them, in particular anyone who knew Emma.

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