Police investigating the homicide of teenager Leah Croucher have launched a brand new e-fit picture of the prime suspect – and mentioned he doubtless modified his look to “avoid being recognised”.
In a brand new enchantment, Thames Valley Police mentioned convicted intercourse offender Neil Maxwell is prone to have grown a beard and “may have lost weight” to evade seize.
Maxwell was discovered lifeless in April 2019 after he took his personal life, and detectives are interesting for info to allow them to affirm he killed the 19-year-old.
Leah disappeared on her strategy to work at a finance firm in Milton Keynes on 15 February 2019.
Her stays had been found greater than three years after she went lacking within the loft of a home in Furzton in October final 12 months.
The homicide investigation is constant.
In an replace, Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Hunter mentioned Maxwell “knew” he was wished in reference to a sexual assault investigation that occurred in 2018 and appeared to have made “extensive efforts to evade arrest” by utilizing false names.
“He is likely to have known that he would be returning to prison if he was arrested and convicted.
“The investigation has now additionally established that Maxwell is prone to have modified his look to keep away from being recognised. He had grown a beard and will have misplaced weight.”
Leah vanished as she walked to work and was final seen on CCTV simply after 8.15am.
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An earlier image of Maxwell launched by police
The pressure launched the picture of how Maxwell might have seemed across the time Leah went lacking and is asking members of the general public to contact police in the event that they noticed him in or round Loxbeare Drive at any time between December 2018 and 20 April 2019.
Police mentioned they nonetheless haven’t recognized anybody who noticed him or round Milton Keynes since early December 2018.
They are but to establish anybody who had seen Maxwell in Loxbeare Drive earlier than, after or at any time near when Leah went lacking.
Officers would additionally like to listen to from anybody who knew his cell phone quantity, the automobile he drove – or “any other useful information that can help us establish the truth for Leah’s family”.
Police began looking out the property the place Leah’s stays had been found after receiving a tip-off from a member of the general public.
It has since emerged Maxwell was the one particular person with keys to the home, which was unoccupied when police had been conducting their inquiries.
Source: information.sky.com”
