By Rebecca SheppardDETECTIVES investigating the murder of a mother-of two have linked her partner to the crime for the first time.Essex Police have released images of Inga Losiene's partner, Farik Farukh, and a known associate of Mr Farukh's, 19-year-old Soran Fatih, and confirmed they were wanted in connection with her death.

By Rebecca Sheppard

DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a mother-of two have linked her partner to the crime for the first time.

Essex Police have released images of Inga Losiene's partner, Farik Farukh, and a known associate of Mr Farukh's, 19-year-old Soran Fatih, and confirmed they were wanted in connection with her death.

Police believe Mr Farukh and Mr Fatih are central to the investigation into the murder of 32-year-old Ms Losiene, whose body was discovered in the boot of a car near to Southend East railway station on June 5,

Mr Farukh, 32, who lived with her at their home in York Road, Southend, has not been seen since May 29.

He is known to have driven from Southend to Ipswich with Ms Losiene's two children on the day she was last seen and police believe he has strong links with the Suffolk town's Iraqi-Kurd community.

Detective Superintendent Simon Dinsdale, the man leading the inquiry, said yesterday: "We believe Farik Farukh and Soran Fatih were involved in this crime and it is vital that we find and speak to them as soon as possible.

"We know they are associates and that they have connections to the Essex, Suffolk, Leicestershire and West Midlands areas."

A spokesman for Essex Police added: "The Suffolk connection is focussed on Ipswich. We have had sightings there previously of Mr Farukh and also the Vauxhall Astra in which the body of Inga was found.

"Earlier this week 25 detectives visited Ipswich and gleaned some crucial information which has helped further our investigation. We are now trying to attract the attention of people in Ipswich, particularly the Iraqi-Kurd community."

He added detectives did not know how or where Ms Losiene was killed, but confirmed if Mr Farukh was found, he would be arrested on suspicion of her murder.

Mr Fatih, formerly of Marine Parade, Southend, is known to have been in contact with Mr Farukh at about the time of Ms Losiene's death and has not been seen in the past week.

Friends of Ms Losiene, from Lithuania, reported her missing on May 30. She was last seen shopping in Southend town centre on May 27.

On that day Mr Farukh drove to Ipswich with her two children, an 11-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy. It is believed he has friends or associates in the Ipswich area.

The trio are believed to have stayed overnight in Ipswich before the car broke down when they set off the next day.

Mr Farukh flagged down an elderly couple, who took him and the children to Felixstowe railway station. They were then thought to have taken a number of trains to return to Southend.

The blue-grey Rover car was later found abandoned on the A14 near Trimley St Martin, but it is not thought to be crucial to the investigation.

Mr Farukh left the children with a babysitter and the alarm was raised when he did not return to collect them after work on Sunday.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Farik Farukh and Soran Fatih should contact the Essex Police incident room on 01268 775588.

rebecca.sheppard@eadt.co.uk