THE grieving family of murdered fitness fanatic Dawn Walker could face an agonising wait to lay the 37-year-old to rest, detectives hunting her killer said last night.

THE grieving family of murdered fitness fanatic Dawn Walker could face an agonising wait to lay the 37-year-old to rest, detectives hunting her killer said last night.

Dawn's charred and semi-naked body was discovered dumped by the River Lark near Bury St Edmunds five weeks ago yesterday.

But Suffolk police said her body would not be released and a funeral could not be arranged until the cause of death had been confirmed.

Officers have issued fresh appeals for anyone with information about the horrific murder to come forward – they believe someone could have the one “crucial piece of the jigsaw” which will lead them to the killer.

It is still unknown whether Dawn, who lived in Fornham St Martin, near Bury, was burnt before or after she was killed.

Dawn's body was found by a dog walker on the afternoon of February 4.

She was last seen by a friend at her home in Oak Close on February 2, and was reported missing after she failed to turn up to work at Abbey Hine printing firm in Bury the next day.

Last month Det Supt Roy Lambert said his team of officers was still piecing together Dawn's last known movements, but added he was keeping an open mind about whether the killer would strike again.

“We don't yet know how long the investigation will go on for, but we would like to reassure the public that we will find out both what happened and who is responsible for this terrible crime,” he said.

Officers are still keen to speak to anyone who was in the River Lark area in the two days between Dawn's last sighting and the discovery of her body.

Det Supt Lambert said: “Although people have come forward to say that they were in the area between these dates we are confident more people would have been at the location where the body was found between Wednesday and Thursday.

“Please think back and consider if you walked along the river. Perhaps you were exercising or walking a dog. Please contact us even if you believe you have nothing to offer the investigation.”

Anyone with information should contact Bury police by text to 07624 800174, by email to incident.room@suffolk.pnn.police.uk, or call 01473 613999.