New agony for Libby Squire’s family as student’s funeral is put on hold while police investigating her death are still unable to release her body
- University of Hull Philosophy student went missing in early hours of February 1
- Body found in Humber Estuary on March 20 and police launched homicide probe
- Today confirmed her body was still in custody as their investigation continues
The University of Hull student, 21, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, was last seen in the early hours of February 1 this year. Her body was found on March 20
Libby Squire’s family are facing more agony as the 21-year-old student’s funeral is put on hold because police investigating her death are still unable to release her body.
The University of Hull student, from High Wycombe, went missing in the early hours of February 1 during a night out. Searches near to where she was last seen were unsuccessful but her body was eventually found in the Humber Estuary on March 20.
Humberside Police today confirmed her body was still in their custody, with a spokesman saying: ‘We can confirm that Libby’s body hasn’t been released.’
Ms Squire had been on a night out in Hull but is believed to have been refused entry to a nightclub and put in a taxi by her friends.
Humberside Police had said she may have ‘come to harm’ and a 24-year-old man suspected of abducting her was later charged with a number of unrelated offences.
Last week police confirmed Ms Squire’s death was still being treated as homicide.
A spokesman said: ‘Inquiries are ongoing into the death of 21-year-old University of Hull student Libby Squire.
‘We continue to investigate Libby’s death as a homicide, with further work and analysis being conducted.’
On February 6, Pawel Relowicz, 24, was arrested in Hull on suspicion of abducting Ms Squire.
Relowicz was later charged with a number of unrelated offences. He is still believed to be under investigation, although he has never been charged in relation to her disappearance.
Tributes poured in for Ms Squire from staff and students at the University of Hull, with the students’ union saying everyone is ‘devastated’ by the Philosophy student’s death.
Union president Osaro Otobo said: ‘The student community are absolutely devastated by this news but now we want to pull together and support each other to make sure we’re all during this time.’
Ms Otobo was speaking with vice-chancellor Susan Lea in front of floral tributes that were laid in memory of Ms Squire around a tree on the campus.
She said: ‘The student body would like to pay their respects to Libby and her family. So, as a students’ union, we have a Remembrance Tree on our ground floor where students can write a note for Libby and her family which will be passed on to them.
‘They just want to show their respects. You can see from the tree, all of the flowers and the tributes. That’s what want to do just show how much we care.’
Ms Squire was dropped off near her house at 11.29pm on February 1 and was last seen walking in a nearby road at 12.05am wearing a black skirt, black leather jacket and distinctive trainers.
Russell and Lisa Squire, the parents of missing student Libby Squire, made an emotional appeal for information in helping to find her soon after she went missing
Ms Squire’s body was found in the Humber Estuary on March 20. Pictured is a lifeboat near the scene
CCTV captured her walking towards the nightclub earlier in the evening, with cameras also capturing her on a bench near her home.
On March 20, Humberside Police revealed that a body had been recovered from the Humber Estuary, in close proximity to Grimsby Docks.
The RNLI launched from Cleethorpes at about 2.30pm and brought the body to the quayside, where there was a large police presence.
A spokesman for the RNLI said at the time: ‘Lifeboat crews from the RNLI’s Humber and Cleethorpes stations launched at 2.30pm this afternoon to a report of a casualty in the water.’
Moments prior to Ms Squire’s disappearance she was spotted on a security camera near a bench on Beverley Road, where a motorist stopped to offer her help.
And a woman living in a street close to Ms Squire’s home later said she heard a scream which she said ‘sounded like someone being attacked’.
The woman said the ‘nature’ of the noise – heard in the early hours – had shocked her as ‘they don’t normally get women screaming like that’ on her street.
The woman said the area was filled with mainly students who were often loud at night.
Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz, from Hull, is still believed to be under investigation, although he has never been charged in relation to her disappearance