Police search farm as part of Chippenham murder inquiry (From This Is Wiltshire)

Police search farm as part of Chippenham murder inquiry

3:33pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

Police were today and yesterday searching a farm near Stanton St Quintin, between Chippenham and Malmesbury, for clues to help them in their search for missing Donavan Van Lill.

It is believed that detectives no longer expect to find Mr Van Lill, 29, alive but are looking for clues to lead them to his body.

On Friday the search for Mr Van Lill, who disappeared more than two weeks ago from his Chippenham home, became a murder inquiry. A 41-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder is still helping police with their inquiries after magistrates gave them longer to question him.

On Friday afternoon, the road off the A429 in Lower Stanton St Quintin was closed to the public, to allow police officers to search the area surrounding Clanville Farm near Scotland Hill.

On Friday afternoon, the road off the A429 in Lower Stanton St Quintin was closed to the public, to allow police officers to search the area surrounding Clanville Farm near Scotland Hill.

A team of around 12 officers, including eight search officers and four permanent police officers remain at the scene today.

Sergeant Dave Hall, of the armed response group based in Devizes, said: "We began searching the area at around 10.30am on Saturday and remain here today.

"We have been searching the surrounding fields. "The search is all intelligence led so we cannot say how long we will be here, it could be weeks."

Perrigrine Nicholls, who lives just yards from the scene, said he was surprised to see such a large scale police operation taking place on his doorstep. "It all happened very suddenly on Friday," he said. "I went out and everything was fine then I came back and the road has been closed off and there were police cars here with their lights flashing.

"There has been a lot of police presence with police dogs exercising in the fields, it is something very serious I think, I'm surprised to have this kind of thing going on right on my doorstep.

"We have seen a lot of police coming in and out, I have three children and they are all a bit confused I think, not quite sure what is happening." A team of around 12 officers were still at the scene late afternoon.