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Body thought to be Arnis Zalkalns is removed from park | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A body believed to be that of Arnis Zalkalns, the prime suspect in the murder of Alice Gross, has been removed from a London park by police. | |
The badly-decomposed corpse was discovered in dense woodland in Boston Manor Park, west London, on Saturday. | |
Police said while formal identification was yet to take place, Zalkalns' partner had been informed of the find. | |
Alice, 14, from Hanwell, west London, disappeared on 28 August. Her body was found in the River Brent on Tuesday. | |
She was last seen walking along the Grand Union Canal and 41-year-old Zalkalns was filmed cycling minutes behind her on the same route as the schoolgirl on the day she vanished. | |
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Although no formal identification has been made, early indications suggest the body may be that of Arnis Zalkalns. | |
"We have updated his partner and a family liaison officer is supporting her." | "We have updated his partner and a family liaison officer is supporting her." |
The body has been taken to a west London mortuary. | |
He said that "due to the nature of the surrounding area specialist resources will be required to assist with the recovery of the body". | |
Police officers were posted at all entrances to the park, which backs on to the River Brent, following the discovery of the body on Saturday afternoon. | Police officers were posted at all entrances to the park, which backs on to the River Brent, following the discovery of the body on Saturday afternoon. |
Zalkalns was last seen at his Ealing home on 3 September. | |
The builder, from Latvia, served seven years in prison in his native country for bludgeoning and stabbing his wife Rudite to death before moving to the UK in 2007. | |
When police found Alice's body on Tuesday they said significant efforts had been made to conceal it. | When police found Alice's body on Tuesday they said significant efforts had been made to conceal it. |
The post-mortem examination at Uxbridge mortuary took two days due to the "complex nature" of the investigation, Scotland Yard said. | The post-mortem examination at Uxbridge mortuary took two days due to the "complex nature" of the investigation, Scotland Yard said. |
Following the discovery of Alice's body, her parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross said: "Why anyone would want to hurt her is something that we are struggling to come to terms with. | Following the discovery of Alice's body, her parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross said: "Why anyone would want to hurt her is something that we are struggling to come to terms with. |
"Alice was a loving and much loved daughter and sister, a quirky live spark of a girl, beautiful inside and out." | "Alice was a loving and much loved daughter and sister, a quirky live spark of a girl, beautiful inside and out." |
Scotland Yard said Alice's family were being kept abreast of the latest developments, but added: "Officers are still searching for evidence, and once again appeal to the public for any information that could assist them." |