Cops hunt prostitute killer
2006-12-11 14:40
London - British police investigating the death of three prostitutes said on Monday they were concerned about the safety of a fourth missing woman amid fears that a serial killer could be responsible.
Three women, aged between 19 and 25, have been found dead near the town of Ipswich, in Suffolk, south-east Britain, over the last eight days.
On Monday, police said they were concerned about a fourth woman, who was 24, and had not been seen since late Saturday.
At a news conference in Ipswich on Monday, police called on prostitutes to "stay off the streets".
The bodies of two of the victims, Gemma Adams, 25, and Tania Nicol, 19, were found stripped naked in woodlands near Ipswich last week.
Police said their bodies had been immersed in water for lengthy periods and showed no obvious signs of violent injury or sexual assault.
A third body was discovered by a passing motorist less than 10 miles away in woodlands on Sunday, police said.
"This is a deeply disturbing development, particularly in the light of the two murder investigations which have been launched during the past fortnight," said Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull.
"While we can't formally link the latest discovery with the two murders, the facts speak for themselves," he added. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA