The family of Fiona Holm who has been missing for a year described her as “funny and caring” but said she “trusted too much”. 

Carl Cooper, 66, is on trial accused of murdering 48-year-old Fiona who was last seen on the evening of June 20 last year. 

He is also accused of murdering 41-year-old Naomi Hunte who was found stabbed to death in her Woolwich flat in February 2022. 

On Thursday (June 13) Fiona’s friends and family gave evidence in the trial. 

‘Funny and caring’ 

Fiona’s sister, Elise Skillen, said: “She’s my best sister. She’s funny, caring... just Fiona. She trusted too much.” 

She described her sister as autistic and “like a 15-year-old". 

Elise said her sister struggled with alcohol dependency but had managed to stop drinking for a period of three and a half year. 

“She did it with no help, she did it on her own,” she said. 

However, by the middle of 2023 Elise said her sister was drinking again. 

Helena Holm, another of Fiona’s sisters, said: “She is funny, she comes out with the most outrageous statements. 

“She was very kind and loved her children.” 

Helena added that her sister wasn’t an angel and there could be a volatile side to her when she had a drink. 

‘That made me sick’ 

Family members described an incident on July 11, after Fiona had gone missing, when they caught Cooper allegedly selling Fiona’s clothes to a market trader. 

They described turning up at Cooper’s address and seeing a market trader’s van outside. 

The trader told her family members that he had bought some clothing from the Cooper. 

Elise was invited to look in the back of the van and saw two coats she recognised as belonging to Fiona. 

“They even smelt like Fiona,” Elise said. “That made me sick because I thought what’s he doing selling my sister’s clothes.” 

Cooper then phoned the police and reported that three members of Fiona’s family were threatening him. 

After this Cooper was arrested and was later charged with both Fiona and Naomi’s murders. 

Cooper denies both murders and the trial continues.