Updated 1.20pm - Suspect to be arraigned on Sunday afternoon.

Colleagues of murdered woman Sandra Ramirez realised something was amiss on Saturday morning when she failed to show up at her retail store at the Point in Sliema. 

"We were calling her over and over because it was unlike her to be late or not show up to work," Karl Micallef, her employer said. 

"When we heard the news, we couldn't believe our Sandra was dead."

Ramirez, 43, was found stabbed to death in the bed of a Sliema rental apartment on Saturday morning. Police learnt of the crime when a 43-year-old man walked into the Sliema police station and told officers on duty that he had killed someone.  The man, believed to be the victim's former partner, is due to be taken to court on Sunday afternoon.

Ramirez obtained a residence permit in October 2022, when she started working at Mavenry, a retail outlet that was about to open at The Point shopping mall.  

Her boss said Ramirez always had a smile on her face and was always there to help everyone.   

She was hard-working, kind, and always cheerful, Micallef said.

"Her laugh was special and filled the room".  

Following the news, her shop in Sliema was shuttered down for the day to pay respect.

A black ribbon and a short message explained the closure.  

"Today we tragically lost a member of our family, not just a member of our staff, a note posted to the store shutter along with a black ribbon read. "Sandra Ramirez was a kind, gentle and hard-working woman who was loved by us all at Mavenry," the message reads.  

"Out of respect for her memory, and to give our staff a pause to grief and process this tremendous shock, we shall not be opening our doors today".   

"We extend our condolences to her family and loved ones."  

Social media posts suggest the victim and her alleged killer were close and had travelled abroad together as recently as November.