Man bailed in connection with discovery of human remains in Sudbury
Inquries are ongoing
Last updated 27th May 2021
A man who was arrested in connection with the discovery of human remains in a Sudbury river last summer has been bailed.
Officers were called at around 4.35pm on Thursday 27 August 2020, after the remains were found inside two black bin bags in the River Stour, near Meadow Gate and Croft Bridge.
A Home Office post-mortem examination was conducted on Sunday 30 August, but was not able to establish a cause of death or any form of identification.
Expert forensic tests have been taking place over the past nine months and established at an early stage of the inquiry that the victim was an adult male, who was likely to have been of an athletic or muscular build.
A small amount of additional human remains were found as a result of searches of the river, with DNA testing of these remains confirming that they are from the same person as the original discovery.
Tests to establish the timescale in which the victim died are continuing, as are efforts to identify him through the comparison of DNA across national and international databases.
On Tuesday (25 May) officers arrested a 26-year-old man from Sudbury in connection with the discovery of the human remains and he was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.
He has subsequently been bailed in connection with that inquiry, but has been charged with possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and remanded in custody to appear before magistrates in respect of that offence.
A second man who was arrested at the same time on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug, has been released on bail pending further enquiries. He was not arrested in connection with the discovery of the human remains.
Officers have been searching a property in Sudbury in connection with both the human remains inquiry and the investigation into the supply of controlled drugs. This work should be completed by the end of the week.
Detectives are renewing an appeal for anyone with information about the discovery of the human remains in the River Stour last summer to come forward. This includes anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour near the river in the days and weeks preceding the discovery on 27 August.