Leah Croucher was sexually assaulted and murdered by a convicted predator but an inquest has heard she used martial arts to defend herself.
The 19-year-old woman went missing on February 15, 2019, while walking to work in the Furststone area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
Her dismembered body was discovered in the attic of a home in October 2022, less than half a mile from where she was last seen.
Following the tragic discovery, police have named 49-year-old Neil Maxwell as the prime suspect in Leah's murder.
The convicted sex offender committed suicide on April 20, 2019 while on the run from police.
An inquest into Leah's death held today heard she may have been killed after an “unlawful sexual assault”.
The court heard that Leah was a known martial arts expert and tried to defend herself after being attacked.
It had previously been feared she may have been held captive in the house for months, but police have said they believe she was murdered on or near the day she disappeared.
Her body was discovered by a handyman who had been hired to remove a foul odor from the house.
Milton Keynes' chief coroner, Tom Osborne, said: “Whoever put the body in the attic had taken steps to dispose of the body, including cutting off certain limbs and placing them in plastic bags.”
Milton Keynes Coroner's Court was told that despite extensive examinations the cause of death could not be determined.
Detective Sergeant Kevin Brown, from Thames Valley Police, said he “absolutely” believed Maxwell murdered Leah.
His name had come up in May 2019, but police concluded there was no link between him and Leah.
This is Maxwell Hunted The reasons for this were a police investigation at the time and his “predilection for young women.”
The perpetrator had been carrying out maintenance work on the house, which had been used as a vacation home since November 2018.
He was the only person with keys to the property while the owners were away.
Muswell was assessed as medium risk after being convicted of sexual assault in February 2018, but it was later determined he should be classified as high risk.
When Leah was murdered Suspect He was wanted on suspicion of sexual assault in Newport Pagnell but used a false name to avoid arrest.
He may have also stopped using mobile phones and cars, and lost weight and grown a beard to change his appearance.
A month before the tragedy, officers expressed concerns about Maxwell's lack of communication.
The coroner will investigate failings acknowledged by police and the probation service but not yet made public.
The inquest continues.
