Chief among them is a 'highly significant' piece of new evidence that has been handed to them and which is undergoing a series of forensic tests.
In keeping with the investigation so far, the police have not revealed details of what the item is, but it is understood that it is not the sock that was missing from her body when it was discovered on Christmas Day.
Final message: Joanna Yeates's last text was revealed to have been sent to friend Matthew Wood at 8.20pm, but he was at his Christmas party so did not reply for an hour
Soil and pollen tests are also expected to be carried out on the item and a police source said: 'This, along with the DNA analysis, is being treated extremely seriously as a credible piece of evidence.'
Pollen does not deteriorate in the same way as DNA evidence and pollen testing is usually used when DNA results prove difficult, as is understood to be the case here.
A similar technique was used in the capture of Soham killer Ian Huntley.
It has also been revealed that police have also searched a pile of clothing at a charity shop for the missing knee-length sock, which was missing from Jo's body when it was discovered.
They made the move after a man told them he had dropped a similar item at the Break shop in Nailsea, near Bristol last week.
Last drink: Miss Yeates was with friends at the Bristol Ram before leaving at around 8pm on 17 December. She then contacted Mr Wood to see if he would like a drink
Meanwhile, Jo’s final text message was revealed yesterday.
She invited a male friend out for a drink on the night she was murdered.
But he was busy at a Christmas party and did not reply for an hour – by which time she was not answering.
Their mobile phone exchange is viewed as a crucial lead because it could help police pinpoint the time Miss Yeates was strangled.
Matthew Wood, 28, received her message inviting him for a drink at 8.20pm on Friday, December 17.
She had left the Bristol Ram pub just after 8pm after drinking with friends, and was making her way home.
Soon afterwards she would have passed the row of pubs and bars known as the Clifton Triangle where Mr Wood was attending his work Christmas party.
Mr Wood, who knew Miss Yeates through her older brother Chris, said he did not see the message until 9.20pm when he replied, telling her he was ‘busy’ at the party.
She invited a male friend out for a drink on the night she was murdered.
But he was busy at a Christmas party and did not reply for an hour – by which time she was not answering.
Their mobile phone exchange is viewed as a crucial lead because it could help police pinpoint the time Miss Yeates was strangled.
Matthew Wood, 28, received her message inviting him for a drink at 8.20pm on Friday, December 17.
She had left the Bristol Ram pub just after 8pm after drinking with friends, and was making her way home.
Soon afterwards she would have passed the row of pubs and bars known as the Clifton Triangle where Mr Wood was attending his work Christmas party.
Mr Wood, who knew Miss Yeates through her older brother Chris, said he did not see the message until 9.20pm when he replied, telling her he was ‘busy’ at the party.
Sealed off: When Miss Yeates did not receive a reply from Matthew Wood, she made her way to her flat after stopping off at Tesco and an off-licence to buy a pizza and bottles of cider
He received no response – and Miss Yeates also failed to answer her phone to her boyfriend Greg Reardon, who called her without success over the next two days during a visit to relatives in Sheffield.
With no reply to her invitation, landscape architect Miss Yeates, 25, continued on to her flat in Canynge Road, pausing at Tesco to buy a large pizza and an off-licence for two small bottles of cider.
She rang her best friend Rebecca Scott to arrange meeting up on Christmas Eve at home in Hampshire, and is thought to have arrived home at about 9pm. Her body was found dumped in a country lane three miles away on Christmas Day.
Mr Wood, who works for an environmental science charity and is not considered a suspect, said: ‘The text message she sent me was, “Where are you? Do you fancy a drink?”
‘I replied saying I was at the office Christmas party and I was busy. It was just a text message between friends. It is horrifying to think that she may have been dead when I texted her.’
Chemistry graduate Mr Wood is a friend of Chris Yeates, 28, from the time both attended the £10,000-a-year King Edward VI School in Southampton.
He moved to Bristol ten years ago and had met Miss Yeates a few times after she moved to the city two years ago knowing few people there. They had not seen each other for about 18 months but were in regular contact on Facebook.
As one of Miss Yeates’s 200 or so friends on the social networking site, Mr Wood could be one of those who is swabbed for a routine DNA sample.
He said: ‘We had an email exchange and were planning on meeting again at some stage. She obviously left her Christmas party early and probably wanted another drink with someone on the way home. But I couldn’t go. I wish I had. I’ve been in touch with the family since the news about Jo. It’s very sad and I’m upset about it.
‘The police contacted me after Jo disappeared. I was interviewed before Christmas and on a second occasion gave a full statement.’
Mr Wood’s stepmother Teresa Yeandle yesterday refused to comment on his relationship with Miss Yeates.
At her terrace home in Trewellard, near Penzance, Cornwall, she said: ‘I’m not very happy about him being pulled into all this – it’s got nothing to do with him. She wasn’t a close friend of his.'
Police seize sick letter
A sick letter containing a pizza label has been sent to the pub where Jo Yeates had her last drink with friends.It discussed various pizza toppings and mentioned Miss Yeates by name.
It is not clear if the label came from the same type of Tesco Finest pizza she bought on her way home.
Evidence: DCI Gareth Bevan revealed the type of pizza that was missing from Jo's flat
Detectives have seized the package and a spokesman said all reports linked with the case were taken seriously.
Officers are also trying to trace a silver saloon car left parked in the middle of the road outside Miss Yeates’s flat hours after she was last seen alive.
Neighbours reported the vehicle in the early hours of December 18. Other cars had to mount the pavement to pass around it.
The car, believed to belong to a tradesman because it had tools and light bulbs on the seats, was moved before 10am but nobody saw the driver.
Officers say the owner might have had trouble in the snow which fell that night and they want to eliminate him or her from their investigation.
Explore more:
- People:
- Greg Reardon,
- Matthew Wood,
- Jo Yeates
- Places:
- Bristol
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1345938/Joanna-Yeates-murder-The-final-text-friend-replied-late.html#ixzz1AiezsVYr
