THE PARENTS of murdered Becky Godden-Edwards have spoken of their shock after detectives confirmed remains found in a farmer’s field belong to the tragic blonde.

Teams of specialist officers were dispatched to a farmer’s field in Eastleach, near Fairford, Gloucestershire, last month and recovered what they described as a bone.

Yesterday, the lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Sean Memory confirmed the DNA matched that of Becky, and said there were ongoing forensic investigations into ‘other items’ but would not be drawn on what they might be.

The area searched is in the same location where Becky, who disappeared between the end of 2002 and early 2003, was discovered in April 2011 after police visited the site as part of their investigation into the murder of Sian O’Callaghan.

Mini-cab driver Chris Halliwell, of Ashbury Avenue, Nythe, was jailed for life for the 22-year-old’s murder in October 2012 after he abducted her outside an Old Town nightclub in March 2011.

But a second charge against him for Becky’s death was dropped after a judge ruled the senior investigator Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher breached the Police and Criminal Evidence Act by obtaining a confession from the 50-year-old in a series of unorthodox interviews.

Becky’s family have put pressure on the father-of-three to talk to detectives but a police investigation has continued and on April 10 officers returned to the site.

DCI Memory, a cold case specialist, said: “The bone recovered from the field in Eastleach has now been subject to a forensic examination. I am able to say that the DNA matches that of Becky Godden-Edwards.

“Her family have been informed of this information. Other items were also recovered from the location, which are currently undergoing forensic examination.

“At this stage we cannot comment further on the nature of these items.”

Becky’s mum Karen Edwards said: “I’m very much in the dark – what do they mean by other items? I don’t know what they could mean.

“It’s nice that we have a bit of Becky back but it does make you think why wasn’t the field excavated properly in the first place. Perhaps it is because of money and resources.

“I’m hopeful that this will get us one step closer to a conviction.

“Perhaps they are closing in now – they are working very hard and they are investigating it in a completely different way to the way they would do a live investigation.”

Meanwhile, Becky’s father John Godden said the news had come as a shock when detectives informed him this week.

“I’m really upset that the job was not done properly in the first place,” he said.

“My stomach is in knots – I just want justice for Becky.”

A Wiltshire Police spokes-man added: “The investigation is ongoing and any further forensic or investigative opportunities will be thoroughly explored.”

  • Anyone with any information should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 immediately.