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Police who warned female users of Facebook not to contact a man suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend have discovered a body, which they believe to be his, in a derelict building in London.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have been searching for George Appleton, 40, since his former partner Clare Wood was found dead at her home in Salford last Friday.
They took the unusual step of issuing a warning to female users of Facebook after discovering that he used the site, and other social networking and dating websites, to meet women.
Yesterday, detectives found a body hanging in a derelict building. A GMP spokeswoman said: "Just before 1pm today, Thursday 11 February 2009, officers looking for the whereabouts of George Appleton found the body off Boond Street in Blackfriars."
The body has yet to be formally identified, but police sources say they are satisfied that it is Mr Appleton. The building is 100 yards from where officers found his red Ford Escort on Monday. It was seized for forensic examination.
Mr Appleton has not been seen since Ms Wood, 36, was found badly burnt in the bedroom of her home. The pair had been involved in a relationship which started in April 2008. Their relationship was over at the time of Ms Wood's death and police said there was no suggestion that they had planned to rekindle their romance.
Police initially appealed for information about his whereabouts on Sunday, issuing CCTV images of him on the night on Ms Wood's death and warning that he is known to use the internet to meet women.
After that appeal, at least four women came forward to say Mr Appleton had contacted them on Facebook and asked to meet them.
A list of the dating websites and computer usernames of Mr Appleton was released to stress to women that they should not arrange to meet him under any circumstances. Police alerts were issued for all major ports and transport networks in the hunt for Mr Appleton, who was unemployed.
- THE INDEPENDENT
