Police are still hunting the lodger of an elderly woman found beaten to death inside her Ealing home, on January 29.

Domicela Skiera, 85, suffered a gruesome death. Her hands and feet had been tied and her face "punched with massive force" which had pulverised both her cheekbones and her upper jaw, Head of the investigation DCI Petrina Cribb said.

The elderly landlords two other male lodgers found her dead inside her Ranelagh Road house about 9.50pm on Wednesday.

The lodgers who are Polish cannot speak English, and ran to a neighbour's house when they found Ms Skiera's battered body. Unable to make themselves understood, they brought the neighbour back to the house to show them their horrific find. The neighbour alerted police, DCI Cribb said.

"We have not ruled out any one motive for this murder. But at this stage, we think the murderer or murderers may have wanted to steal large quantities of cash from the victim. She owned a number of properties, which she rented to lodgers and was known to conduct her financial transactions in cash," DCI Cribb said.

The house had clearly been ransacked, but it was difficult to establish what was missing, she said.

The victim, apart from renting rooms to lodgers, lived alone and was a very private person, DCI Cribb said.

The third and missing lodger only moved into the house on January 27, and has not been seen since the morning of January 29, the day Skiera was found dead, she said.

Police have released an e-fit of the lodge who is wanted in connection with her murder.

Mrs Skiera was a widow and had lived in Britain for approximately 50 years. She had no children but had two sisters, one of whom survives her and a nephew and niece in Poland who were her next of kin.

Police have limited information about the missing lodger other than a brief description. He was described as a white, Polish man, aged around 40, and about 5'8" tall. He has dark hair, a dark moustache and has pockmarked skin and is of slim build. When last seen he was wearing a blue, sleeveless padded jacket or bodywarmer. It is believed he is a builder's labourer around the Ealing area.

An incident room has opened at Belgravia under DCI Petrina Cribb.

Anyone who may be able to assist should call the incident room on 020 7321 9251; if you wish to remain anonymous please call Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111