POLICE discovered the body of Amanda Edwards buried in a shallow grave just hours after her killer was found hanging in Calne.
The drama unfolded at 2pm on Friday when police cordoned off a house in Woodsage Way, Calne, after receiving reports that prime suspect Ian Cortis, 42, had been found dead in the loft.
His apparent suicide came only hours after he was released by police following four days of questioning in connection with Amanda's disappearance.
Body-building enthusiast and self-employed plasterer Cortis, who had two convictions for rape in the 1980s, was pronounced dead at the house.
A post-mortem revealed that hanging was the cause of death.
Amanda, from Purton near Swindon, had been missing for eight days.
The 21-year-old's body, wrapped in packaging, was discovered at a building site in Malmesbury at about 3pm.
Police search dogs helped trace the young woman, who was last seen dropping off her 19-year-old boyfriend David Board at his home in Bremhill near Calne.
More than 100 officers were involved in the hunt and Det Chief Supt Paul Howlett, of Wiltshire Police, who led the investigation into Amanda's death, said her family was devastated.
Mr Howlett said they were still piecing together clues in a bid to find the reasons behind Amanda's death, but would not comment on any possible motives or the relationship between Mr Cortis and the nursery nurse.
He said police were not looking for anyone else in connection with the murder.
A post-mortem carried out on Saturday has so far delivered no real clues into Amanda's death.
l Inquests into the deaths of Amanda and Cortis were opened and adjourned at Trowbridge yesterday.
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