Police have launched a murder investigation, but have not confirmed the woman met her death at the hands of a killer, despite a postmortem being carried out.

The 62-year-old widow was found dead at her home in Boyd's Row in the city at around 1.30pm on Monday.

Her body was discovered by a friend who called to see her and it is thought she died sometime between then and the previous Thursday when she was last seen.

Police said yesterday that a postmortem had been carried out, but no results were revealed.

Local SDLP councillor Mealla Bratton said people in the community were worried.

She said if Mrs Corrigan's death did turn out to be murder, fears would grow.

The councillor said the uncertainty over what had happened was affecting the community.

"She was woman who kept to herself and was very quiet so people are fearful – they are wondering why she would be singled out – if that's what it was.

"It's a quiet wee road and there are other people who are living on there on their own who would be worried.

"It's quite an active part of the town as there are take-away places and a filling station, pubs and an Ulsterbus station so it's a lively part of the town and there are plenty of people about in the evenings.

"It makes you wonder that something like this can happen in the middle of the buzz – if in fact it does turn out that she was murdered."

She said police had told her they were conducting a murder inquiry, but had not come out and said the widow was killed.

"They told me they were carrying out a murder investigation, as that was what they had to do under the circumstances, but the officer I spoke to stressed that it was a murder investigation – not that she was murdered."

A PSNI statement yesterday said: "This murder investigation continues.

"The investigation team would like to thank all those who have come forward to assist with inquiries, however the PSNI would still appeal to members of the public to come forward and give us any information they can, by contacting 0845 600 8000 and asking for detectives investigating the murder of Eileen Corrigan."