POLICE have launched a murder investigation after it was revealed that architect Joanna Yeates was strangled.
In a press conference held yesterday, Chief Inspector Phil Jones confirmed the cause of death following the post-mortem examination on Miss Yeates’ body.
The 25-year-old, who shared a flat with boyfriend Greg Reardon in Bristol, was last seen on the evening of December 17, when she was caught on CCTV buying a pizza in a city Tesco Express store after a works night out with colleagues.
Mr Reardon, 27, who once lived in Repton and attended John Port School in Etwall, reported Miss Yeates missing on December 19, when he returned to their home after visiting family in Sheffield.
When asked by reporters whether or not Mr Reardon was a suspect in the investigation, he said: “No, he is a witness.” When asked whether or not police suspected Miss Yeates had been killed by someone she knew, Chief Inspector Jones said: “We are keeping an open mind as to whether it was someone familiar to her or a stranger.” He confirmed that Miss Yeates’ body was fully clothed with no ‘significant’ marks found, other than those around her neck.
He said the police were keeping an open mind as to whether she had been sexually assaulted.
On Monday, Mr Reardon attended the site in Longwood Lane, Failand, where Miss Yeates’ body had been found on Christmas morning, to lay flowers with her parents.
Ch Insp Jones said police believed her body had been at the site for several days before its discovery.
