Human remains found in a loft space at a property in Furzton, Milton Keynes, have been confirmed as the body of Leah Croucher, Thames Valley Police said.
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: "Officers investigating the murder of Leah Croucher in Milton Keynes can today (21/10) confirm that she has been formally identified.
"A Home Office post-mortem, which was conducted last week, has been inconclusive as to the cause of Leah’s death and investigations are continuing.
"A murder investigation was launched last week following the discovery of Leah in the loft space of 2 Loxbeare Drive, Furzton, Milton Keynes.
Leah Croucher
Thames Valley Police
"A number of items belonging to Leah were also located at the property."
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Kevin Brown, the Head of the Major Crime Unit, said: “The thoughts of all of us at Thames Valley Police remain and will always be with Leah’s family and friends.
“The entirety of our investigation keeps them uppermost in our minds, and they continue to be supported by specially trained officers and updated on every development.
“After a difficult process, we are now in a position to formally confirm that the body found in Loxbeare Drive last week is that of Leah.
Police officers at the scene on Loxbeare Drive, Furzton, Milton Keynes
Joe Giddens
“The grief and shock of Leah’s family and friends is unimaginable, and they have shown enormous courage, patience and dignity over the last three years and eight months while our search for Leah continued.
“They have always been supportive of Thames Valley Police, both during our extensive missing person investigation and this subsequent investigation into Leah’s murder.
“We ask again, on their behalf, to please respect their privacy at what is such a traumatic and upsetting time for them all.
“Our investigations into Leah’s murder will leave no stone unturned, and we owe it to Leah’s family to ensure we find the truth.
“We are absolutely committed to doing so, to allow them to gain an understanding of what happened to Leah.”
Last week the force named sex offender Neil Maxwell, who died in April 2019, two months after Miss Croucher went missing, as the prime suspect in her murder.