The disappearances of two young women are being re-examined by police after the discovery of a woman's body on the royal family's estate in Sandringham.
As part of a murder inquires police are investigating whether the body could be that of 17-year-old Alisa Dmitrijeva, from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, or Vitalija Baliutaviciene, 29, from Peterborough, who both disappeared last August.
Detectives are analysing DNA samples to provide a profile of the victim, identified as a young adult woman aged between 15 and 23, and are examining a number of missing persons reports for potential links to the body. The remains, found in a copse by a member of the public on New Year's Day, had been at that site for between a month and four months.
Detective Chief Inspector Jes Fry said the identity of the victim as yet remained unclear but said the disappearance of the two missing women were "lines of inquiry" being pursued.
"We will be focusing on all local missing persons and then spread our catchment area depending on how our investigation goes. Part of the post-mortem will try to establish the identification through fingerprints or DNA which may help us identify who the victim is more quickly," he said. "Hopefully in the next day or so we will have a good idea who we are dealing with and that may open fresh lines of inquiry."
Dmitrijeva was last seen on 31 August in Friars Street, King's Lynn, and was reported missing by a family member on 6 September. Since then there have been a number of unconfirmed sightings and police have offered a £5,000 reward for any information about her disappearance. They are seeking to trace the movements of a green P-registered Lexus GS300 in connection with her disappearance.
Lithuanian Baliutaviciene was last seen leaving her home in Burmer Road, Peterborough, at 5am on 12 August. Rimas Venclovas, 46, who was extradited from Lithuania, has been charged with her kidnap and murder but no body has yet been found.
The body at Sandringham was discovered by a dog walker shortly after 4pm on New Year's Day in woods on farmland in Anmer, near King's Lynn. Anmer is on the 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) estate, about three miles from the main gate of Sandringham house, where the Queen spends Christmas.
Pathologist reports indicate the woman was very likely to have been murdered as there is no evidence of accidental injury. It is not known if the woman was killed at the scene or if her body was later left there.
The Queen spent Christmas at Sandringham while Prince Philip spent four days in Papworth hospital in Cambridgeshire. She is still in residence and is believed to have been briefed by police about the investigation.
