The prime suspect in the Leah Croucher murder investigation has been named by police as convicted sex offender Neil Maxwell.
Maxwell was found dead on 20 April 2019 after he took his own life.
Officers searching for Ms Croucher said on Wednesday they had found human remains in a house less than half a mile from where she was last seen on 15 February 2019.
Following a tip-off from a member of the public on Monday, forensics experts have been scouring the house in Loxbeare Drive in the Furzton area of Milton Keynes, where Ms Croucher’s rucksack and other personal possessions were also recovered. The human remains were discovered in the loft.
During the time when 19-year-old Ms Croucher went missing, and whilst the owner of the property, who lives overseas, was not in the UK, Maxwell was the only person to have keys to the house. He had them from November 2018.
Maxwell had been employed by the home owner to carry out some maintenance there.
Thames Valley Police said during its “entire investigation to find Leah, there has been no direct link between Maxwell and Leah until Monday this week”.
Hundreds of officers have searched for Ms Croucher over the past three and a half years. They have trawled 1,200 hours of CCTV footage and carried out 4,000 house-to-house inquiries.
Police at the scene in Loxbeare Drive
‘Police previously visited house on at least two occasions’
In the years-long investigation, police visited the Loxbeare Drive property on at least two occasions.
However, there was no response at the house, the force said.
“Therefore, we dropped a leaflet through the letterbox, requesting a call back if the occupants of the property had any information.” Officers also visited the property to scope what CCTV was available in the area.
“It is now known that the owner was not in the UK at the time Leah was reported missing and the house was unoccupied when police attended on these enquiries.”
Ms Croucher’s sister and parents look at flowers outside the property in Loxbeare Drive
Her parents have visited the scene and left flowers along with a handwritten note saying “our darkest fears have come true”.
Ms Croucher went missing as she walked to work at a finance company. She was last seen on CCTV just after 8.15am on 15 February 2019 just a short distance from the house.
Thames Valley Police said: “Whilst Maxwell has been nominated as a suspect, this does not mean he is guilty of any offence. We will keep an open mind, and our detailed investigation will seek to gather sufficient evidence to establish the truth.
“This may or may not implicate or exonerate Maxwell or any other persons from the investigation.”
The disappearance of the 19-year-old prompted an extensive search
’18 attempts to arrest Maxwell’
Maxwell has previous convictions for sexual offences against females and was wanted in connection with a sexual assault in Newport Pagnell in November 2018.
The sexual assault was reported to Bedfordshire Police on 29 November 2018 and the case was transferred to Thames Valley Police the same day, said officers.
“A significant amount of enquiries were made nationally to locate Maxwell and these included 18 attempts to arrest him,” they added.
Thames Valley Police said they are appealing to anyone who had contact with Maxwell between November 2018 and his death in April 2019 or anyone who has information that might help their inquiry to contact them.
They should visit the force’s website or call 101, quoting Op Innsbruck.
Alternatively they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
