He's believed to have been the one particular person with keys to the home the place stays had been discovered close to the 19-year-old’s possessions in Furzton, Milton Keynes, whereas the homeowners had been away.
Thames Valley Police mentioned Maxwell had been employed by the house proprietor to hold out some property upkeep on the home.
Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Hunter mentioned: ‘While Maxwell has been nominated as a suspect, this doesn't imply he's responsible of any offence.
‘We are going to preserve an open thoughts, and our detailed investigation will search to assemble enough proof to determine the reality.
‘This will or might not implicate or exonerate Maxwell or every other individuals from the investigation.’
He mentioned Maxwell had earlier convictions for sexual offences in opposition to ladies and was wished in reference to a sexual assault in Newport Pagnell in November 2018.
Utilizing aliases, travelling throughout the UK in numerous automobiles and utilizing a number of completely different telephones, he managed to evade arrest some 18 instances, police mentioned.
He was discovered useless on April 20, 2019, simply over a fortnight after the power issued a public wished enchantment.
Mr Hunter mentioned: ‘In April 2019, once we printed our wished enchantment concerning Maxwell in reference to the sexual assault in Newport Pagnell, and through our complete investigation to seek out Leah, there was no direct hyperlink between Maxwell and Leah till Monday this week once we had been referred to as concerning the property in Loxbeare Drive.
‘If Maxwell had been alive right this moment, we might be in search of his arrest in reference to this investigation, so he might be interviewed underneath warning to offer his account.
‘As such, right this moment I'm interesting to anybody who had contact with Maxwell between November 2018 and his loss of life in April 2019 or anybody who has data which may assist our inquiry to contact Thames Valley Police.’
A 3-and-a-half 12 months seek for Ms Croucher, who was 19 when she went lacking, is now specializing in the two-storey brick home which is lower than half a mile from the place she was final seen.
Talking at a press convention in Milton Keynes, Mr Hunter revealed the human stays had been discovered within the loft of the property near her belongings.
Requested how lengthy they'd been there, he mentioned: ‘After all, now we have received an ongoing investigation so we might want to set up a few of these information.
‘I'll reveal right this moment that the rucksack containing Leah’s possessions and the human stays had been discovered within the loft – that's what is making this so complicated and difficult for us to have the ability to work by.’
One of many traces of enquiry is whether or not Ms Croucher might have been held captive.
She was final seen on CCTV in Buzzacott Lane, Furzton, simply after 8.15am on February 15, 2019, strolling within the course of Loxbeare Drive and Chaffron Approach.
Requested if it was potential that Maxwell had focused the teenager after seeing her as she was strolling to work, he mentioned: ‘If we return to Buzzacott Lane and the CCTV at 8.16am on February 15, 2019 – there have been no additional traces of inquiry that helped us from there.
‘After all, Leah’s path to work has at all times been topic to intense scrutiny all through our investigation. (There have been) 4,000 properties visited and CCTV that we had been capable of acquire has been considered.
‘At this stage, it's in fact an energetic line of our inquiry – did Leah stroll previous that home and a few kind of motion passed off? That's precisely what the investigation group are going to try to set up.’
He was unable to say whether or not the home the place the human stays had been discovered can be the place the place that particular person died. Police additionally refused to say if any weapons had been discovered.
Mr Hunter mentioned: ‘That’s inconceivable for me to reply at this stage. We might want to await the outcomes of the Dwelling Workplace autopsy and take ahead the investigation.’
The stays haven't but been confirmed as these of Ms Croucher, however a Dwelling Workplace autopsy examination is presently going down and that ‘identification will happen as quickly as we're ready to try this’.
The senior officer mentioned Ms Croucher’s household thanked the power for its efforts to seek out the 19-year-old previously three years and eight months.
Mr Hunter went on: ‘They (the household) have particularly requested me to go on the next message.
‘We want to take this chance to thank Thames Valley Police for all their efforts over the previous three years and eight months.
‘We imagine that they may not have performed something in a different way, they've at all times approached each dialog with dignity and compassion.
‘As a household, we ask that everybody respects our privateness in addition to our instant household, at what is likely one of the most troublesome instances of our lives.’
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