Police probing 2002 murder of young woman find ‘complete male DNA profile’

Police investigating the murder of a 22-year-old woman who was strangled in 2002 have identified a “complete male DNA profile” on her clothing.

The body of Michelle Bettles was found by a local resident in woodland beside a country track in the village of Scarning in Norfolk on March 31 2002, the weekend the Queen Mother died.

Norfolk Police said the killer has never been identified.

A forensic review was launched in March this year, on the 20th anniversary of Ms Bettles’ death, to re-examine DNA found in the case.

Police said the review has identified “several DNA profiles” on Ms Bettles’ clothing, “including a complete male DNA profile”.

Detectives are working to identify the male, and forensic work on other DNA samples found on her clothing is continuing.

Ms Bettles was a sex worker in Norwich and was last seen in the city’s red-light district at around midnight on March 28 2002.

Unusually, she had not kept an appointment with a regular client who she had arranged to meet close to her home address in the Dereham Road area.

CCTV footage showed her walking along St Benedict’s Street towards Norwich city centre at 8.20pm on March 28.

This suggested she never intended to keep the appointment with the regular client as she was heading in the opposite direction, police said.

Major crime review manager Andy Guy said: “There have been multiple advances in forensic science over recent years which have significantly advanced this investigation, so I ask anybody who knows what happened to Michelle or has suspicions regarding who may be responsible to do the right thing and contact us.

“I would also urge any man who had legitimate personal contact with Michelle to come forward and be eliminated from the inquiry, before we contact you.”

Ms Bettles’ parents, John Bettles and Denise Taylor, appealed earlier this year for people to come forward with any information that might assist the investigation.

Detectives received eight calls from members of the public offering names of possible friends or contacts of Ms Bettles.

There was also a report of a potential sighting of her in the City Road area on the evening of March 28.

The information from these calls is still being investigated, the force said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Crime Review Team on 01953 423819 or email unsolvedcasereviews@norfolk.police.uk

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit https://mipp.police.uk/operation/363719P01-PO1