Second body in Sian murder case to be examined

Forensics will try and identity second body found in Gloucestershire as part of the Sian O'Callaghan inquiry

WORK to recover a second body in Gloucestershire in the Sian O'Callaghan murder inquiry has now been completed.

Wiltshire Police, who have been investigating the murder of the 22-year-old Swindon woman, have announced that after searching a site in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, for a second body since Friday (March 25), the remains of a woman who they believe to be aged between 23 and 30 has now been sent to forensic scientists to try to establish her identity.

The woman is thought to have died sometime between 2003 and 2005.

Swindon man Chris Halliwell, aged 47, of Ashbury Avenue, appeared in Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday (Monday) charged with the kidnap and murder of Miss O'Callaghan, whose body was discovered near Uffington, Oxfordshire, on Thursday (March 24).

He is due to appear before Bristol Crown Court tomorrow (Wednesday).

Miss O'Callaghan's disappearance from a Swindon nightclub on Saturday, March 19, had initially sparked a major search by police and local villagers of Savernake Forest, a few miles west of Hungerford.

Posters were placed around Ramsbury yesterday, urging anyone who was out 'lamping' or poaching in the area on March 19, from around 2am to contact the police with any information they might have about suspicious activity in the area, a green Toyota Avensis estate car, or persons in the area around that time.

Det Supt Steve Fulcher, who is leading the inquiry, stressed that he only want information that is relevant to the Sian O'Callaghan inquiry. "We are not interested in prosecuting anyone for lamping or poaching,"he added.

A Spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police, Claire Usher, said today: “We can confirm that work to recover a second body at Eastleach has been completed and the scene released.

“Forensic investigations to establish the identity of this young woman are ongoing using DNA and the speed of this identification process relies on whether or not we have her DNA on a database. If we don't get a DNA match further investigations will need to be carried out which may take some time.

“The public can be assured that we will of course inform the victim's family wherever possible before releasing any details in the media.”