Gaia Pope case: Third murder suspect is released

A 49-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder following the disappearance of teenager Gaia Pope has been released while inquiries continue.

Paul Elsey, confirmed as the suspect to the BBC by his father, is from Swanage.

Murder detectives are focusing their forensic investigations on homes, cars and an area near a coastal path where women's clothing was found.

Miss Pope's family confirmed the clothing matched what she was believed to be wearing the day she went missing.

Gaia Pope was last seen in Swanage on 7 November

Mr Elsey is the third person to be arrested in the inquiry.

He is believed to be known to 19-year-old Miss Pope, who went missing from Swanage on 7 November.

Mr Elsey lives with his mother Rosemary Dinch, 71, who, along with her 19-year-old grandson, Nathan Elsey, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday.

The pair were released on Tuesday while inquiries continue.

Forensic investigations are continuing at two properties in Manor Gardens, where those arrested are believed to live. Police have also seized three vehicles.

Land close to where the items of clothing were found is being extensively searched

A black jacket Miss Pope was wearing in CCTV images taken at St Michael's Garage, Swanage, on the last day she was seen was recovered from an address in Manor Gardens.

Search activity involving coastguard teams and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue's Technical Rescue Unit is focused on several fields nearby.

Det Supt Paul Kessell, of Dorset Police, said: "The clothing located south of Priests Way appear to be Gaia's and her family have confirmed they match what she was believed to have been wearing the day she went missing."

In a statement posted on the Let's Find Gaia Facebook group, her mother Natasha Pope said she was "holding on to hope".

"I believe in this community and I believe miracles can happen," she said.

"My eternal thanks to everyone who is out there searching for my little girl. Please come out over the weekend and do what you can."

A search is being carried out on land surrounding the coast path on the Purbeck coast

Miss Pope's cousin, Marienna Pope-Weidemann said the family were "desperate for answers" and urged people to "get out there looking for her".

"It's been a profoundly shocking 24 hours. Obviously the discovery of those clothes was incredibly distressing for the whole family," she said.

Search volunteer Ian Messenger, who works at Swanage Dairy, said people were "pulling together".

"It's just been surreal," he said. "The town seems sort of subdued at the moment, it's usually quite vibrant.

"Everyone's out searching at night, early in the mornings. We at the dairy, we've handed out over 1,000 leaflets to all of our customers with our milk."

Marine teams have been searching the foot of the Purbeck cliffs

Nico Johnson, editor of the local Purbeck Gazette, said the search effort was "phenomenal".

"We've got people walking for miles and miles in teams, they've covered towns, rural areas, gone door-to-door in coordination with police. A lot of information has been brought forward," she said.

"Purbeck is a really strong community, when something happens they are fully behind each other. People are getting to the point of exhaustion - they just want to find Gaia now."

Miss Pope, who is from Langton Matravers, has severe epilepsy and is thought to have gone missing without her medication.

Earlier this week, her mother urged people to look in vans, garages and houses in case she was being kept against her will.

The search for Gaia

7 November: Miss Pope is driven by a family member from Langton Matravers to Swanage. At 14:55, she is seen on CCTV inside St Michael's Garage buying ice cream and at 16:00 her last confirmed sighting is at an address in Manor Gardens on Morrison Road

8 November: Her family make a personal plea through the police for her to get in contact. Ch Insp Steve White, of Dorset Police, says the force is "becoming increasingly concerned"

9 November: Dorset Police renews its appeal to find the 19-year-old. Searches have been carried out in the Swanage area, with support from the coastguard and police helicopter. Miss Pope's family release a statement saying they are "frantic with worry"

10 November: CCTV footage is released of Gaia on Morrison Road, Manor Gardens, at 15:39 on 7 November.

13 November: Search warrants issued at two addresses in Swanage. Rosemary Dinch and Nathan Elsey are arrested on suspicion of murder and later released under investigation

14 November: Searches continue with the coastguard and volunteers from Dorset Search and Rescue and Wessex 4x4

15 November: CCTV images of Miss Pope at St Michael's Garage are released. Searches continue to concentrate inland, supported by neighbouring police forces

16 November: Paul Elsey is arrested on suspicion of murder. Women's clothing is discovered in a field near Swanage and a police cordon is set up