Facebook campaign to find Jo Yeates' killer

Detectives investigating the murder of Joanna Yeates have launched a national Facebook campaign appealing for witnesses to resolve the mystery of the landscape architect’s murder.

The snow-covered body of 25-year-old Joanna Yeates was discovered on Christmas morning just three miles from her home in the Clifton area of Bristol, after her disappearance on the 17th December.

It is known that Miss Yeates returned to her flat after early evening drinks with friends, but what happened afterwards still remains ambiguous.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones, who is leading the murder investigation, says: ‘I am satisfied that Jo got back to her flat but I am not going to speculate whether she let someone in to the flat, whether someone was already there or whether someone broke into the flat.’

Joanna’s landlord, 65 year-old Chris Jefferies, was arrested on suspicion of her murder after claiming he had seen her leave her flat with two other people that evening. Mr Jefferies has since been released on police bail but is still a suspect according to Mr Jones.

Avon and Somerset Police have now launched a campaign on the popular social networking site Facebook, urging anyone who has information to contact the team of over 70 officers working on the case.

DCI Jones says police have successfully used Facebook in a number of high-profile cases because information can be shared more widely than by poster.

Scott Fulton, head of e-services at the force says: ‘On this inquiry alone we have had shares of the story from the force’s Facebook page of 24,220.

Police have been wary of publicly declaring a prime motive for the killing but yesterday said they were considering a sexual motive. The team have also suggested the murderer, who strangled the victim, may have had an accomplice.

Crime scene investigators were again at Miss Yeates’s flat today using advanced forensic techniques to examine the scene, while uniformed officers also entered Chris Jefferies flat on the opposite side of the building.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE WORLD NEWS