A murder investigation is under way after a woman's body was discovered by a dog walker on the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, eastern England, on New Year's Day.
The body was discovered in the village of Anmer, on the 2,000 acre estate, and less than a mile from Sandringham House which is privately owned by the Royal Family. Anmer Hall, the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Kent between 1972 and 1990, is located in the village.
Norfolk Police say they are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases across the country, suggesting the woman has been dead for some time.
Sandringham is where the Queen, her husband Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family traditionally spend Christmas and New Year. The Queen and Prince Philip are currently in residence at the estate, accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two young children, James, Viscount Severn, aged 4 and is the eighth in line to the throne, and Lady Louise Windsor, aged 8, the ninth in line to the throne.
From the Daily Mail:
A murder investigation is under way after the remains of a woman were discovered by a dog walker on the Queen’s estate at Sandringham.
Police say they are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases across the country.
The body was found in woodland on the Queen's estate in Norfolk on New Year's Day, but there is no indication yet of when the woman died, or how.
Officers cordoned off a large area of woodland less than a mile from where the Royal Family gathered for Christmas.
Grim discovery: Norfolk Police guard the entrance to woods where a body was found on the Sandringham estate
Police say the circumstances suggest that the woman was murdered and are now looking at cold case files across the country
Detective Chief Inspector Jes Fry told a press conference at the scene in Anmer, near King's Lynn: 'We are at the very early stages of the investigation and it could be a complex inquiry. The body had been there for some time.
'The circumstances suggest this is a murder case and we are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases both locally and nationwide.'
He added: 'Entomology and pathology work is under way and we expect the body to be recovered and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn later today.
'The body has been in situ for some time but I can't comment on whether that is weeks, months or years.
It is the body of a female but I cannot comment on her age.
The remains were found by a dog-walker in woods at the village of Anmer
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently in residence at the estate (pictured), accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two young children
'I cannot confirm whether she was clothed because, at the moment, only my staff, the person who found the body and the person or people who put it there know that and I would like it to stay that way.
'The body was found by a dog walker and was not underground.
'At this stage we do not know who the victim is.'
Mr Fry said it was not yet clear if the woman was killed at the scene or taken there after death.
Pathologist Nat Cary arrived at the site this morning to examine the body. Entomologists are exaining insect life on the body to establish how long it had been there.
Residents said forensic officers in white suits have spent more than 24 hours scouring a line of trees bordering farmland.
Macabre discovery: The human remains were found on the Queen's estate at Sandringham less than a mile from where the Royal family gathered for Christmas (bottom left)
The Queen marked the start of 2012, her Diamond Jubilee year, with a ride in the grounds of Sandringham House yesterday morning
Read more: Sandringham house: 'Human remains' found by dog walker on Queen's estate | Mail Online
The body was discovered in the village of Anmer, on the 2,000 acre estate, and less than a mile from Sandringham House which is privately owned by the Royal Family. Anmer Hall, the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Kent between 1972 and 1990, is located in the village.
Norfolk Police say they are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases across the country, suggesting the woman has been dead for some time.
Sandringham is where the Queen, her husband Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family traditionally spend Christmas and New Year. The Queen and Prince Philip are currently in residence at the estate, accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two young children, James, Viscount Severn, aged 4 and is the eighth in line to the throne, and Lady Louise Windsor, aged 8, the ninth in line to the throne.
From the Daily Mail:
A murder investigation is under way after the remains of a woman were discovered by a dog walker on the Queen’s estate at Sandringham.
Police say they are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases across the country.
The body was found in woodland on the Queen's estate in Norfolk on New Year's Day, but there is no indication yet of when the woman died, or how.
Officers cordoned off a large area of woodland less than a mile from where the Royal Family gathered for Christmas.
Grim discovery: Norfolk Police guard the entrance to woods where a body was found on the Sandringham estate
Police say the circumstances suggest that the woman was murdered and are now looking at cold case files across the country
Detective Chief Inspector Jes Fry told a press conference at the scene in Anmer, near King's Lynn: 'We are at the very early stages of the investigation and it could be a complex inquiry. The body had been there for some time.
'The circumstances suggest this is a murder case and we are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases both locally and nationwide.'
He added: 'Entomology and pathology work is under way and we expect the body to be recovered and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn later today.
'The body has been in situ for some time but I can't comment on whether that is weeks, months or years.
It is the body of a female but I cannot comment on her age.
The remains were found by a dog-walker in woods at the village of Anmer
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently in residence at the estate (pictured), accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two young children
'I cannot confirm whether she was clothed because, at the moment, only my staff, the person who found the body and the person or people who put it there know that and I would like it to stay that way.
'The body was found by a dog walker and was not underground.
'At this stage we do not know who the victim is.'
Mr Fry said it was not yet clear if the woman was killed at the scene or taken there after death.
Pathologist Nat Cary arrived at the site this morning to examine the body. Entomologists are exaining insect life on the body to establish how long it had been there.
Residents said forensic officers in white suits have spent more than 24 hours scouring a line of trees bordering farmland.
Macabre discovery: The human remains were found on the Queen's estate at Sandringham less than a mile from where the Royal family gathered for Christmas (bottom left)
The Queen marked the start of 2012, her Diamond Jubilee year, with a ride in the grounds of Sandringham House yesterday morning
Read more: Sandringham house: 'Human remains' found by dog walker on Queen's estate | Mail Online
Last edited:
