Prime suspect after ... 20 years

'Killer' was stopped six days after murder but set free.. & died in 2014

- BY DAN WARBURTON

A MAN police are now sure committed a murder in 2005 was stopped by officers just six days after the vicious killing, but let go.

The burned body of 36-year-old Jennifer Kiely was found dumped in a beach shelter on January 23, 2005. She had been raped and stabbed 16 times.

Detectives linked the mum-of-three's brutal death to some of Britain's worst offenders including Sally Anne Bowman killer Mark Dixie and sex monster Peter Tobin. But they were ruled out and police were unable to trace the fiend responsible for the sexually motivated attack, despite a £20,000 reward.

Now - despite arresting though not charging two suspects in 2005 - Sussex Police officers say overwhelming DNA evidence points to Keith Dowbekin, who died in 2014 aged 60.

It has emerged that Dowbekin was stopped at the Port of Dover on January 29, 2005. Officers say it was part of a standard investigative check relating to Jennifer's murder.