Star of John & Yoko's film 'Rape' found murdered

The film was made in 1968 and at 77 minutes, shows Eva (who spoke very little, if any, English) relentlessly pursued by a cameraman, through streets, a cemetery and a park. At one point she almost walks into the path of an oncoming truck, before being cornered in an apartment, where her tearful pleas to the camera were completely ignored.

John said of the film: "We are showing how all of us are exposed and under pressure in our contemporary world. This isn't just about the Beatles. What is happening to this girl on the screen is happening in Biafra, Vietnam and everywhere."

Eva disappeared from her home in Hungary last September. Her family reported her disappearance but the Hungarian police didnt take the claims seriously. This in spite of Eva's car being found abandoned and her house ransacked and computer files destroyed.

Eva Rhodes's family had moved from Hungary to England when she was a child. She became a successful model as well as starring in Rape. She returned to Hungary 12 years ago to set up the Puss in Boots Animal Trust and was a major campaigner for animal welfare. Hungary is a leading producer of fur for the textile profession. Cat and dog fur is often used as imitation or as faked fur and Eva tried to stop this trade.

The Hungarian government had turned a blind eye to the animal slaughter that had been occurring in their country. Eva was a strong campaigner against this slaughter and may have been seen as a threat to the government. This may explain the lack of help her family received after her disappearance.

Eva's body was found buried close to her home. She had been battered to death and her body burned. An employee of the sanctuary has confessed to her murder; the motive he gave was a dispute over pay. He gave no reason for ransacking her house and destroying sensitive files on her computer.

© 2010 British Beatles Fan Club