In the latest twist in one of Britain's biggest murder inquiries, Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull said they were no longer "looking for a murder weapon," strengthening fears the women were in some state of drug-induced unconsciousness before they were killed.
It coincided with an abrupt escalation of the investigation with confirmation that officers across the English Channel have now joined the manhunt. Gull said that he could not be in the business of "second guessing" what the killer might do next.
The police officer, who is leading the inquiry into Britain's most prolific serial killer, told reporters that formal contact had been made with Interpol, the organization that coordinates criminal investigation across Europe and the world.
One theory is that the murderer may have passed through the port of Felixstowe, near Ipswich, or is an itinerant who has returned to mainland Europe.
The latest development came as police released new CCTV footage tracing the last sighting of Anneli Alderton as she caught the 5:53pm train from Harwich to Colchester a fortnight ago. It was revealed yesterday that the 24-year-old was three months pregnant.
Officers cannot ascertain where Anneli met the murderer. Gull said it was "possible" that Anneli may have been abducted and murdered outside Ipswich, a scenario that would challenge the assumption all five victims met their killer in the town's red-light district.
The investigation, codenamed Operation Sumac, into the murders of Gemma Adams, 25, Paula Clennell, 24, Tania Nicol, 19, Annette Nicholls, 29, and Anneli is, according to sources, entering a crucial stage.
In a separate twist, police are looking to track down a man who violently attacked two prostitutes, including one of the victims, just weeks before Tania went missing.
A 42-year-old prostitute from Ipswich said that she and Annette had discussed whether their attacker could have been responsible for the first two murders of Gemma and Tania. Soon after, Annette went missing.
"We will be looking to speak to the individuals involved," Gull said.
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