Police confirm missing Georgia has died as they find a body in woodland and charge 22-year-old friend with murder

Police have charged 22-year-old Jamie Reynolds with the murder of Georgia Williams, 17, who has not been seen since Sunday, West Mercia Police said today.
Officers confirmed that the body of a young female, who has not been formally identified, has been found near Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham, and they believe that it is linked to the disappearance of the former head girl.
The 17-year-old, from Wellington, Shropshire, has not been seen since telling her parents she was going to see friends on Sunday evening.
Police said that yesterday afternoon new evidence came to light which proved that she had died at an address in Wellington.
Reynolds will now appear before Telford Magistrates' Court tomorrow morning.
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Developments: Detectives investigating the disappearance of 17-year-old Georgia Williams say that they found a body in north Wales this afternoon. Jamie Reynolds has been charged with her murder

Accused: Jamie Reynolds, right, has today been charged with the murder of missing 17-year-old Georgia Williams, who went missing after leaving home to meet friends last Sunday

Murder charge: Reynolds, 22, of Telford, had initially been held on suspicion of kidnap but was charged with murder today

New evidence: Forensics officers emerge from a house in Wellington today as the search for missing Georgia Williams turned into a murder investigation

In a press conference this afternoon Superintendent Nav Malik said: 'During our enquiries, sadly, late yesterday afternoon new evidence came to light that proved Georgia was deceased and that she died at an address in Wellington.

'For obvious legal reasons, particularly to ensure that future court proceedings are not jeopardised, we are not able to reveal further information about this evidence at this time.

'However, I can now confirm that the body of a female was found earlier this afternoon - at around 2pm - in woodland off the Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham.

'The body has not yet been formally identified but early indications suggest that the discovery relates to our investigation into the disappearance of Georgia Williams.

'Georgia's family have been kept fully informed of all the recent developments and this has only added to the devastation they are feeling about this week's events.

'I would like to ask that their privacy is respected so that they can attempt to come to terms with the events of the past few days.

'Although all investigations of this nature are extremely difficult, it is fair to say that this case has proved particularly challenging for all the officers and staff involved.

'We are totally committed to every investigation we launch but dealing with events that directly affect a colleague and fellow member of the policing family - especially one that many of us know so well - is unusual and has proved extremely tough and emotional for everyone.

Search: Police launched a widespread hunt for Georgia, 17, (centre) after she disappeared on Sunday after telling parents she was visiting friends

Grim discovery: The body of a young girl found by police this afternoon has not yet been formally identified, but detectives are linking it to Georgia's disappearance

Devastated: Missing Georgia's family have been informed of this afternoon's developments in the police search for her

'Although there is much more work to do on this case, I would like to thank the whole investigative team for all their efforts up to this point, especially in what have been very trying circumstances.
'Finally, on behalf of the investigative team, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that came forward with information as a result of our appeals and I'd also like to thank the press for their support and understanding during this investigation so far.'
This afternoon's developments came on the same day that friends of Georgia had organised a mass leaflet drop in a desperate bid to find her.
More than 50 friends of Georgia gathered in her home town of Wellington, Shropshire, to make emotional missing person posters as they refused to give up hope of finding the teenager alive.
The friends hugged and cried as they made the personalised posters, just a mile from the schoolgirl's family home.
The former head girl is believed to have been going to the home of Jamie Reynolds for a modelling-style photoshoot.

Frantic: More than 50 friends of Georgia had gathered in her home town to distribute posters and comfort each other over her disappearance

Heartbreaking: Friends of Georgia Williams console each other at All Saints Church, Wellington, Shropshire as they joined in the search for the teenager today

The 22-year-old was initially arrested on suspicion of kidnapping but detectives yesterday revealed he was being held on suspicion of murder.
West Mercia Police had said that detectives from North Wales Police were searching an area of land on the Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham.
Friends of Georgia had spoken of their distress at the search for the 17-year-old as they joined in the hunt for the teenager.

Katy Lafferty, who is Georgia's best friend and helped organise the leaflet drop, said the last time they spoke she was 'her usual self', adding her disappearance was 'heart-breaking'.
'I last spoke to her Saturday and she was just the same as she's always been - I didn't really suspect anything,' she said.
She had added: 'I have faith in her, I believe in her.'
The 17-year-old praised the support that had been expressed by thousands of people via social media.
Asked how she was coping with the disappearance of her friend she said: 'It's difficult but you've got to believe in her and get through.
'You've got to believe that she's somewhere and is going to come back.'
She said she had spoken with Georgia's parents Lynette, 51, and DC Stephen Williams, 56, and said they were 'just getting through it - how else can you be?'

Helping police: Two of Georgia William's friends hand out missing person leaflets to passers by in Wellington, Shropshire

Public search: Three year old Ruby Lowe ties ribbons onto a board publicising the search for Georgia at The Plough Inn, Wellington, Shropshire

Katy, from Telford, added that she and friends wanted to hand out leaflets and posters about Georgia because they needed to help.
'It is heart-breaking, I cannot ever imagine that this would happen but for us to be able to do something about it is good,' she said.
Emotional friend Emma Plumb, 17, who knew Georgia from college, fought back tears as she said: 'I can't put into words how anxious I am.
'I can't sleep at night, because I don't want there to be bad news when I wake up.
'You see this on the news but you don't expect it to happen to someone you love.
'When I found out Monday night it was like my brain had been speared. I couldn't comprehend it.'
Another friend, George Garbett, 17, said Georgia was as 'bright as a button' last Friday and had planned to go a music festival on Monday.
He said: 'She's the bounciest, most energetic person you could ever meet.
'She's head girl at college, and helps out with the Telford football team.
'I last saw her Friday and she was bright as a button. She planned to go to Slam Dunk festival Monday night so I know she had no plans to go anywhere.
'This is so strange, the anxiety is like a black shadow cast over my life.'
Chris Thomas, 17, who has known Georgia for 11 years, added: 'You can see how much hurt this has caused all of us.
'I found out through Facebook and feared the worst.
'It's not like her to go missing, she's really mature and caring.
'I'm not a religious man, but I have been praying on my hands and knees for her safe return.'

Hunt: A police car can be seen in the woodland at Brown Moss near Whitchurch, Shropshire, as officers hunt for Georgia Williams

Looking for clues: Police cordon off a wooded spot in Whitchurch, Shropshire, during the search

Police had sealed off woodland close to the home of the teenager after 'clothing was discovered' at the site.
But today Inspector Richard Langton, from the Wellington safer neighbourhood team, said detectives had now ruled out any connection with Georgia’s disappearance to the police cordon around an area of woodland at Brown Moss Nature Reserve, 17 miles away from Wellington, yesterday.
He said: 'That was an important piece of work.
'Thankfully, we’ve been able to eliminate that from this inquiry which means we can concentrate those resources and those members of staff on other searches.'
He added the force had had a 'tremendous' response from the public following the TV appeal.
Superintendent Nav Malik, Telford and Wrekin police commander, said yesterday: 'I make it very clear, folks, that we have not found Georgia Williams at this moment in time.
'She remains elsewhere - we are not quite sure where.

'We are really, really keen to identify where she may be, her whereabouts and I urge the public to support us in trying to find out where she may be.'
He added there were more than 50 detectives working on the investigation.
Georgia has not been seen since telling her parents she was going to see friends at 7.30pm on Sunday.

Map: Detectives believed Georgia had travelled from Wellington to Oswestry, Rhyll, Chester, Cumbria and Glasgow

Investigation: Another emergency vehicle can be seen through thick trees in the woodland spot where officers were hunting for the missing student

Murder investigation: Police began searching at the woodland spot as they held a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder 

Police said she had her mobile phone with her when she left, but the last calls and text messages were received from the device at about 8pm that night.
Georgia's mother Lynette, 51, and her father DC Stephen Williams, 56 - who works for the force leading the investigation into his daughter's disappearance - have been left heartbroken about the incident.
The pair went to the Plough Inn, in Wellington on Wednesday evening, looking to borrow a lighter as the couple wanted to place a candle at the altar of the local church over the road.
But when Georgia's face flashed up on the pub's TV, the couple were said to have slumped onto one of the bench's at the pub - where they wept uncontrollably for the rest of the evening.

Landlady Ruth Lowe, 42, said: 'I saw Georgia's dad on Wednesday night, because he was lighting a candle for her at the church over the road.

'He came in here because he didn't have a lighter.

'As he approached me Georgia's face flashed up on the news, and he just slumped on one of our benches and cried hysterically.

'He brought his wife in and they sat here and sobbed all night.

'It was so sad to see two strong people ripped apart like that.

'Georgia was a cadet, and she helped out with one of our Help for Heroes fundraisers.

'She was so spirited. Everybody is praying for her.

Court appearance: Georgia Williams pictured with Jamie Reynolds who was charged with her murder today and will appear before magistrates tomorrow

Vehicle: Police had initially been searching for a silver Toyota Hiace 300 GS van (pictured), registration CX06 ASV

Evidence: The suspect's vehicle is taken away by police officers from a car park in Glasgow city centre

'To see a hardened police officer reduced to a shell of a man and weeping like that, was just heartbreaking.

'Everybody was trying to comfort him and we brought him coffee, but he was just frozen there. It was like he couldn't move.'
Mr Malik said police were still keen to trace the movements of a silver Toyota Hiace 300 GS van, which Mr Reynolds had access to, between 5pm and 10.30pm on Monday – when it travelled just 12 miles between Wrexham and Queensferry in North Wales.
From there, the vehicle is known to have taken a route through Cheshire and Cumbria before being filmed by CCTV cameras arriving at a Glasgow city centre car park on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Reynolds is understood to have been arrested in the early hours of Wednesday in a Premier Inn hotel nearby.
The van, which has the number plate CV06 ASV, is believed to have left Wellington at about noon on Monday, travelling to Oswestry, Rhyl, Chester and Kendal before reaching Glasgow at about midday on Tuesday.
Mr Malik has previously said that Georgia's disappearance was 'completely out of character'.
Miss Williams’s boyfriend Matthew Bird, 19, was yesterday said to be ‘in pieces’ and vowed ‘never to give up’ looking for his teenage sweetheart.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Bird, who works at fashion chain Next, wrote: ‘I’m so worried about her and we need her back, I love you Georgia and I will find you.’

Fears: Superintendent Nav Malik told a press conference earlier this week that West Mercia Police were 'gravely concerned' for the well being of Georgia

Concerns: Georgia is seen here with her father Stephen Williams, a West Mercia Police Detective Constable

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