VICTIM: Paul Booth.

SHE has gone through the facts in her head a thousand times, but Jacqui Booth Watkins still can't come to terms with her brother's death.

The same haunting questions remain: Who killed Paul Booth What was their motive And why have no witnesses come forward

Despite repeated appeals, police have had no response from the public - until now.

After two months of investigations new details have suddenly emerged which could finally shed some light on the puzzling attack. Police have received an anonymous letter describing a black Mitsubishi Shogun parked at the Esso garage in the Totton Asda complex where police believe Paul was assaulted on February 5.

The informant also mentions three men stood arguing with Paul before one of them attacked him. Although these details are still unconfirmed, they represent a breakthrough for the witness-starved inquiry and come as a boost to Paul's grieving family.

Paul's 29-year-old sister now believes he was the victim of a road rage-style attack that spiralled out of control.

Jacqui said: "This is the first information that has made any sense since Paul died.

"At the beginning the police asked us if Paul was in trouble with loan sharks or drug dealers but we never had any indication of that.

"I was starting to think that it was going to be one of those things they never get to the bottom of, but now I'm convinced they will find the person who did this."

Paul, a self-employed builder, was a healthy, popular 31-year-old who was training to become a diving instructor.

He grew up in Hythe, attending Hythe Primary and later Noadswood Secondary School in Dibden Purlieu, before taking a plastering course at Salisbury College aged 16.

He went on to work for his father Mick's building company, but the family left Hythe following his mother's death in 1990.

After a series of relationships Paul settled down in Blakeney Road with 32-year-old accountant Julie Ryan and the couple had a son called Sam, now four years old.

But Jacqui, who now lives in Gloucester, admits that there was always a stormy side to her brother's character, and he was prone to "the odd scuffle" in his younger days.

She believes that Paul may have accidentally blocked the path of a vehicle at the garage before buying cigarettes at the station.

"I can picture the situation - an argument which turns into a fight. But it's hard to believe that someone could have hit Paul so hard as to fracture his skull.

"And I'm still confused as to why Paul didn't contact the police."

Paul went to the accident and emergency department at Southampton General Hospital on the night of the attack but left before receiving treatment.

He did not report the incident and continued to live and work normally for 11 days before his fiancee found him unconscious at his home in Blakeney Road, Millbrook. He died of a brain haemorrhage on March 3.

Detective Inspector Martin Youngs, who is leading the murder hunt, confirmed that a road-rage attack was one of their main avenues of investigation. He added: "We can't discount that idea. It's one of the areas we've been looking since the inquiry started.

"It's the worst case scenario for us - a one-off attack by a stranger. It's obviously harder than trying to find someone who knows him.

"But we're very encouraged by recent responses and if anyone has any more information about the incident we would be very keen to hear from them." Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 01703 867911 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.

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