Meredith: fourth suspect sought

A fourth suspect is being hunted by Italian police investigating the murder of UK student Meredith Kercher, it emerged last night.

Detectives want to trace a North African musician, who they have not named, after forensic experts found a bloody fingerprint in the 21-year-old's apartment in Perugia that did not match those of the three existing suspects.

Ms Kercher, from London, was found with her throat cut on 2 November. Police believe she was stabbed after refusing to join in an "extreme" drug-fuelled sexual game initiated by her American flatmate Amanda Knox. Her body was flown to Rome last night but its planned repatriation to the UK today was blocked pending a court decision after defence lawyers for suspect Patrick Lumumba demanded it be re-examined to determine the time of her death.

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