By daniel evans crime correspondent
POLICE have found no significant links between the murder of Joanna Yeates and that of Glenis Carruthers, 36 years ago.
Despite speculation that the same killer could be responsible in both cases, the Evening Post understands that detectives reviewing the Carruthers case have found nothing to flag up to the current investigation team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones.
The Evening Post revealed last week that Avon and Somerset's Major Crime Review Team had been looking through the 24 boxes of evidence and statements taken when Miss Carruthers was found strangled on grassland near Bristol Zoo in 1974, after leaving her friend Sandra Hardyman's 21st birthday in nearby Worcester Crescent.
But no suspects mentioned in those files are known to have cropped up in the current probe and the team has not been asked for the names of people to track down for DNA testing, a source has revealed.
There are several similarities between the two cases – both victims had been strangled, neither had been sexually assaulted or suffered any other significant injuries, and both were last seen alive in Clifton. But, so far, similarities have been classed as coincidence.
The source said: "Nothing has been found to feed into the Yeates incident room. If anything, it (the review) has put distance between two cases."
Meanwhile, a city council spokeswoman confirmed detectives investigating Miss Yeates' death had seized plans to the ground floor flat at 44 Canynge Road where she lived.
The property was split into flats in 1988 and has a staircase linking most of the apartments.
But Miss Yeates' flat – which was subjected to weeks of forensic examination – is self-contained, with only one way in and out.
Police are refusing to reveal whether they believe she was killed inside the flat or elsewhere, and have not revealed the results of DNA tests on a half-drunk bottle of cider which had been left in the flat.
A police spokesman said: "The investigation team is following up a number of lines of inquiry which are best served by being undertaken away from the intense scrutiny of the media."
The investigation has reached a stage where it could be subjected to an independent review by a senior officer who has not been involved thus far.
The spokesman said: "National guidance suggests a review should take place somewhere between 28 and 42 days but how that is done, who does it and the scope of the review are up to each individual force and will depend very much on the nature of the investigation in question. These reviews are routine practice and will be considered by us when we believe the time to be right. We continue to have a dedicated team of investigators who will remain on this case until we find and bring to justice whoever is responsible for killing Joanna Yeates."
On the night of December 17, landscape architect Miss Yeates had been out with work colleagues for a drink at the Ram pub on Park Street, before walking home at 8pm via Waitrose on Clifton Triangle, off-licence Bargain Booze and Tesco Express in Clifton Village.
The 25-year-old came home with two bottles of cider – one of which was opened and partly drunk – and a Tesco Finest mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto pizza.
When her boyfriend Greg Reardon, 27, returned home from a weekend in Sheffield two days later, she was nowhere to be seen.
Fears for her safety escalated as her purse, keys and mobile phone were found in the flat, though there was no sign of a struggle.
Her strangled body was found on Christmas morning off Longwood Lane, Failand.
Miss Yeates' landlord Chris Jefferies, 65, a former teacher at Clifton College, was arrested on suspicion of her murder on December 30 but released on police bail two days later.
Friends of Miss Yeates want a national two-minute silence in her memory on January 31, at 6pm.
If you can help the inquiry, call the incident room on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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