Nicholas Billingham, 42, is believed to have died from a knife, according to a brief hearing conducted by Northampton Assistant Medical Examiner Hassan Shah. Fiona Beal, an elementary school teacher from Kingsley, Northampton, appeared in court last month on charges of killing Billingham between October 30 and November 10 last year. Opening and postponing the search in Northampton on Wednesday, Shah said Billingham’s body was found last month on a property on Moore Street. He told the court: “I have a report from Richard Leigh Evans, a dental examiner, confirming a positive identification based on dental records. “In relation to the temporary cause of death, I have a statement from Dr. [Frances] Hollingbury, a registered medical examiner with a knife in his throat, is awaiting further examination. “On this basis, I now postpone this interrogation until September 21.” Beal was arrested at a hotel in Cumbria shortly after midnight on March 16, prompting detectives to launch an extensive search of her home. The 48-year-old is expected to appear in court in Northampton for preliminary investigation on April 19. Eastfield Academy in Northampton, where Beal worked before her arrest, said they were “shocked and saddened” to hear of Billingham’s death, describing the incident as a “disgusting tragedy that will shake our school community”.
