27/01/2015

Alice Gross Murder Suspect 'Would Have Faced Charges'

Police investigating the murder of 14-year-old Alice Gross said their main suspect would have faced charges "if he had lived".

The body of Alice Gross was found in the River Brent in September last year, a month after she had gone missing. Five days later police also found the body of the key suspect, Arnis Zalkalns, in Boston Manor Park – 2 miles from where Alice was found.

In a press briefing police said their investigation found a single DNA sample on Alice Gross's body which "strongly supports" a match with Zalkalns.

They also revealed that a cigarette butt was found near the spot where Alice's body was recovered, containing DNA from Zalkalns, and that the Latvian builder had returned to the tow path near the teenagers body three times after her disappearance.

An inquest into the teenagers murder is due to resume on Thursday.

(MH/CD)

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01 October 2014
Body Found In Alice Gross Inquiry
Police investigating the disappearance of Alice Gross have confirmed a body has been found in a river in west London. The investigation is now being treated as a murder inquiry, they added. In a statement, detectives said the family of the teenager had been informed of the development. Formal identification is yet to take place.
07 October 2014
Arnis Zalkalns Death 'Consistent With Hanging'
A post-mortem examination has found that the death of Arnis Zalkalns was "consistent with hanging", and that there was "no evidence of any third party involvement". Police confirmed that Mr Zalkalns' body had been discovered in dense woodland in Boston Manor Park, west London, on Saturday.
06 October 2014
Alice Gross Murder: Post-Mortem To Be Carried Out On Zalkalns
A post-mortem is to be carried out today on the body of a man who is believed to have murdered school girl Alice Gross. It is understood Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns was found hanged in woods at Boston Manor Park on Saturday. The body is scheduled for a post-mortem at Fulham Mortuary this afternoon.
02 October 2014
Post-Mortem On Alice Gross To Resume
A post-mortem examination on the body of murdered schoolgirl Alice Gross is to resume today. The body of the 14-year-old girl was recovered from the River Brent in west London on Tuesday night. She was last seen on 28 August after she left her home in Hanwell.
18 September 2014
Alice Gross Police Reveal Details Of Suspect
Police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Alice Gross have revealed that a 41-year-old man they are also searching for has previously been convicted of murder.