We just said 'Welcome back': As police reveal his daughter was strangled, father's shred of comfort
By Luke Salkeld and Ryan Kisiel
Last updated at 8:12 AM on 29th December 2010
- Police believe Joanna may have known her killer
- Two bottles of cider bought before she disappeared could provide clues
- Victim's boyfriend Greg Reardon is not being treated as a suspect
- Detectives reveal body had been on grass verge for 'several days'
- Officers keeping 'open mind' over possibility of sexual motive
- Grieving parents say: 'Police know more than they're telling us'
The father of Joanna Yeates said yesterday that seeing his strangled daughter’s body had provided some comfort to his grief-stricken family.
As police revealed the landscape architect died from compression of the neck, David Yeates said: ‘Things were made just that little bit less terrible when we saw Jo’s body yesterday.
‘It was a relief to see her again – we just said, ‘‘Welcome back’’.’
Found dead on Christmas Day: Miss Yeates, seen left on Christmas Day last year and right, with her cat Bernard
His heartfelt words came as it was revealed Miss Yeates bought two bottles of cider as well as a pizza before she was strangled.
CCTV from the Bargain Booze store show her buying the 330ml bottles for around £4 before heading home, The Sun reported.
The bottles were found in her flat after she disappeared, one of which had been opened and half consumed.
The revelation has raised questions over whether Miss Yeates bought the alcohol for herself or whether one bottle was for another person - perhaps even her killer.
Police, who have now launched a murder inquiry with 70 officers ‘working round the clock’, said the body of 25-year-old Miss Yeates had probably been lying by the side of a country road for several days before it was found.
They also said that they are 'keeping an open mind' on the possibility that Joanna may have known her killer.
Results of a post mortem examination, which had been delayed because the body was so frozen, confirmed the cause of death.
Detectives believe the fully-clothed body may have lain undiscovered for up to a week in Longwood Lane, Failand, near Bristol, after Miss Yeates was reported missing, possibly hidden by heavy snowfall.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones, who is leading the hunt for the killer, refused to comment on whether she had been sexually assaulted.
He publicly ruled out Miss Yeates’s architect boyfriend Greg Reardon as a suspect.
New pictures of murder victim Joanna Yeates were released by her parents yesterday. Miss Yeates is pictured during birthday celebrations on the left, and astride a motorbike seven years ago, right
Chief Superintendent Jon Stratford (left) and senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones (right) during a press conference which yesterday revealed Miss Yeates died of 'compression to the neck'
On Monday Miss Yeates’s family and Mr Reardon, 27, made a harrowing visit to the spot where she was found by dog walkers on Christmas morning, eight days after she vanished.
Mr Yeates said yesterday: ‘I fear that whoever has done this will never hand themselves in but we live in hope that the police will catch who is responsible.’
The 63-year-old, who lives in Ampfield, Hampshire, with his wife Theresa, 56, added: ‘We are sure the police know more about what happened than they are telling us but at the moment we are not questioning them because we feel they are doing their best.
‘Hearing Jo had been murdered was not a surprise because we had been told to prepare for the worst.
‘Since hearing about her death all sorts of things have been running through our minds and we are trying to rationalise what has happened.
Family ordeal: David Yeates hugs his wife Theresa, while their son Chris places a consoling hand on his shoulder during a visit to the site where Joanna's body was discovered
Miss Yeates' boyfriend Greg Reardon (wearing a black hat) lays a bouquet at the scene as family members including her brother Chris (wearing a grey coat) looked on
‘Last week was the worst of our lives and we are hoping that we will never have to go through anything like this again.’
Mr Yeates said the family were keen to arrange the funeral but had been told by police the body was unlikely to be released ‘for a while’.
Mr Jones appealed for more information which could help lead to an arrest.
He said: ‘The pathologist showed the cause of death was compression of the neck – in other words, strangulation.
Final journey: Miss Yeates was found less than three miles from the house she shared with her boyfriend
Floral tribute: Parents David and Theresa lay flowers at the scene
CCTV clues: Detectives are examining footage from Clifton Suspension Bridge's 32 cameras as they try to discover how her body came to end up on the other side of the structure from her home
‘We believe Joanna’s body had been there for several days before being discovered on Christmas morning.
‘We want to hear from anyone who saw anything in the Failand area, particularly between December 17 and December 19.
‘We know how Joanna died and now we need to know who is responsible.
‘Somebody out there knows what happened to Joanna. Somebody out there holds that vital piece of information Jo’s family need and want.’
He added that a number of lines of inquiry were being pursued, including the possibility that there was a sexual motive behind the killing.
Detectives are continuing a forensic examination of Miss Yeates’s flat in the Bristol suburb of Clifton as police try to determine whether her killer had been in the building with her.
Grief: A letter attached to a floral tribute placed outside Miss Yeates' flat
Anguish: Miss Yeates's parents David and Teresa (left) and her boyfriend Greg Reardon had made desperate appeals for her safe return
Joanna poses with Greg. It was her boyfriend who raised the alarm when he returned from a trip to Sheffield to find she was missing from their flat
She disappeared following a visit to a Bristol pub with colleagues on Friday December 17.
During the mile walk home she stopped at Waitrose and then a Tesco Express, as well as the off-licence.
CCTV footage shows her buying a Tesco Finest mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto pizza.
Her keys, coat and mobile phone were all found at the flat in Canynge Road but detectives are still searching for the pizza and its wrapping.
Police say there were no signs of forced entry.
Stop off: Miss Yeates purchased two small bottles of cider from this Bargain Booze shop in Clifton and also bought a mozzarella, tomato and pesto pizza from a Tesco nearby
Miss Yeates' body was discovered on a grass verge close to the entrance of a quarry (circled) just outside Bristol
Mr Reardon reported her missing on December 19 on his return from a visit to Sheffield.
The body was found around three miles from the £200,000 flat the couple shared.
Mr Reardon’s mother last night appealed for ‘every last scrap’ of information to be given to police.
Lydia Reardon, 67, who lives with her husband John, also 67, in Ilfracombe, Devon, said: ‘Someone, somewhere may know the one crucial thing that helps the police solve this dreadful crime. Please, just pick up the phone and tell them.’
No comments:
Post a Comment