A man suspected of murder remained holed up inside his Qrendi home on Tuesday evening, as police efforts to talk him into giving himself up entered their tenth hour.  

The man is the prime suspect in the murder of Bernice Cassar, a 40-year-old woman who was shot dead in Paola as she was driving to work on Tuesday morning.

Investigators identified him as a key suspect shortly after the killing and quickly traced him to his Qrendi home.

Law enforcement members from various tactical units surrounded his house shortly before 9am and trained police negotiators were brought in to make contact with him.

Times of Malta is informed that negotiators succeeded in doing so. As of 6.30pm, the suspect was still inside the house.  

Murder victim Bernice Cassar was shot as she drove to work on Tuesday morning. Photo:Facebook

The operation is expected to continue for as long as necessary, with officers, Civil Protection Department members and emergency crews bracing themselves for a long night.

As the sun set, a police floodlight truck was brought in to light up the operation area.

The area has been cordoned off by the police.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, who has described Cassar’s murder as a “femicide”, told parliament on Tuesday evening that the police believe the suspect may be still armed with the firearm that was allegedly used in the murder.

Camilleri has appointed retired judge Geoffrey Valenzia to look into circumstances leading to the murder, to see if state entity failings helped contribute to it.

Emergency crews on standby earlier in the day. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Grieving relatives of Cassar’s have accused the police of doing too little to protect her.

"She reported and cried for help but the authorities never really cared. She was sad yesterday because Christmas was around the corner and she was fighting for her safety and that of her kids,” her sister Alicia wrote on Facebook.

A police spokesperson is expected to address the press at 7pm.