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British student murdered in Italy Hunt for British student's killer
(about 8 hours later)
A British student living in Italy who was found dead with her throat cut has been named as Meredith Kercher, 22. Italian police have launched a manhunt after a British student living in Italy was found dead with her throat cut.
The body of Ms Kercher, from Croydon in south London, was found in her bedroom in her apartment in Perugia. The body of Meredith Kercher, 22, from Croydon, south London, was found in the bedroom of her apartment in Perugia.
The Leeds University student had been to a party with some friends but had gone home alone. The Leeds University student had gone to see a film at a friend's house, but went home alone.
The British Embassy in Rome said next of kin had been informed. The Foreign Office said it was working with Italian authorities to investigate the death.The British Embassy in Rome said next of kin had been informed. The Foreign Office said it was working with Italian authorities to investigate the death.
Ms Kercher is believed to have lived with three other women.
Her body was found on Friday at about 1330 local time.
Locked door
Police believe that she left her apartment on Thursday night to go to a friend's house and returned alone.
Two of Ms Kercher's flatmates returned late on Friday morning to find their front door slightly ajar.
They tried to wake her, but found that her bedroom door was locked.
Police said they went to the apartment after they found a mobile phone - thought to belong to the victim - in a nearby garden.
When they arrived they forced the door to find Ms Kercher's body underneath a mattress. There was a deep cut in her throat.
Smashed window
BBC correspondent Christian Fraser said the door to the bedroom in which she was found had been locked from the inside.
It is thought the murderer may have left through a broken window, he said.
Central to the police investigation is a woman who received a threatening phone call from Ms Kercher's phone on Thursday night.
Police are also keen to trace an Italian boyfriend, and a missing key used to lock Ms Kercher's door from the inside.
Police also recovered a bloodstained handkerchief from close to the apartment.
We are deeply shocked at this terrible news University of Leeds spokeswoman
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that a British national was found dead in her apartment.A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that a British national was found dead in her apartment.
"Our consular staff are in Perugia to liaise with the Italian authorities and to provide the necessary consular assistance."Our consular staff are in Perugia to liaise with the Italian authorities and to provide the necessary consular assistance.
"The circumstances of the death are under investigation by the Italian police.""The circumstances of the death are under investigation by the Italian police."
Ms Kercher is believed to have lived with three other women and her body was found on Friday at about 1330 local time. According to local reports, Ms Kercher had been based in Perugia since last August.
According to local reports, she had been based in Perugia since last August.
Foreign students
Police believe that she left her apartment on Thursday night to watch a film at a friend's house, and returned alone.
It is understood that her body was found by the police after they checked a mobile phone - thought to belong to the victim - which was found in a nearby garden.
When they arrived at the apartment, police removed a bloodstained handkerchief.
As they turned up, two of Ms Kercher's friends were in the property, unaware that anything was amiss.
They forced her bedroom door to find Ms Kercher's body naked underneath a mattress.
BBC correspondent Christian Fraser said the door to the bedroom where she was found had been locked from the inside.
We are deeply shocked at this terrible news University of Leeds spokeswoman
"That would suggest that the murderer left through the window," he said.
Perugia, which is in the Umbria region, is home to a large community of foreign students.Perugia, which is in the Umbria region, is home to a large community of foreign students.
A team of forensic detectives from Rome have been dispatched to the scene, Ms Kercher had been in the third year of a four-year European Studies degree. She went to Italy on a one-year exchange as part of the Erasmus programme.
Central to their inquiries will be a woman who said she had received threatening calls from Ms Kercher's phone.
Ms Kercher had been in the third year of a four-year European Studies degree.
She went to Italy on a one-year exchange as part of the Erasmus programme.
A spokeswoman for the University of Leeds said: "We are deeply shocked at this terrible news, and our thoughts are with Meredith's family and friends."A spokeswoman for the University of Leeds said: "We are deeply shocked at this terrible news, and our thoughts are with Meredith's family and friends."