A woman was brutally murdered in a supermarket full of customers Thursday, according to British authorities.

The New York Post reported that 44-year-old Neville Hord was arrested this week on suspicion of stabbing an Aldi employee during her shift. The victim was reportedly the daughter of a woman Hord had previously dated.

One witness described hearing “loads of screams” during the attack before seeing 30-year-old Jodie Willsher on the floor and her attacker close by, being pinned down by a group of shoppers.

In the confusion that followed, the witness said “everyone screamed and ran up and down” the aisles of the grocery store.

The victim had reportedly just taken her 5-year-old daughter to visit Santa Claus before starting her shift at Aldi and was wearing a colorful holiday-themed outfit at the time of the attack.

Her widower, Malcolm, described her as an “amazing, beautiful and lovely person.”

Willsher was a “doting mother and a loving wife,” he said, and “always had a smile on her face.”

Despite the suspect’s apparent connection to Willsher’s mother, authorities have not released a suspected motive in the stabbing.

Hord, a father of two, reportedly lost his business earlier this year, though specific details were not immediately available.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, charges of attempted murder against him were increased to murder after Willshire died from her injuries.

He appeared in court for a brief hearing Saturday, after which he was taken into police custody. As the Telegraph reported, Hord spoke only to state his name and address during the three-minute court appearance.

His next court appearance is set for next week.

[Featured image: Jodie Willsher/Facebook]