Police confirm ‘no third party involved’ after body found in search for Gaynor Lord
A post-mortem examination carried out after a body was recovered in the search for Gaynor Lord has found ‘no indications of any third party involvement’.
Police pulled a body from the River Wensum in Norwich on Friday, one week after the mum-of-three was reported missing.
Officers also confirmed today that the 55-year-old’s death is ‘not being treated as suspicious’.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: ‘Gaynor’s family have been informed of this latest update and continue to be supported by specialised officers.
‘Formal identification is due to take place tomorrow (Sunday 17 December).’
Her husband Clive Lord is said to be ‘totally lost’ and ‘doesn’t understand at all what happened’.
Gaynor was last seen on CCTV at the junction of Green Hills Road and Martins Road at 4.07pm last Friday.
Some of her clothes and belongings were later found scattered across Wensum Park, where the river runs directly through, at around 8pm.
She had left her job on the Bullards Gin counter at Jarrolds department store more than an hour early before being captured on CCTV walking hurriedly to Norwich Cathedral.
After spending around 34 minutes inside the cathedral grounds, Gaynor left via the archway exit and walked along Queens Street.
Then she was seen on St George’s Street, St Crispins Road and St Augustines Street before the final sighting of her.
One witness described a woman who matched her description performing a ‘yoga pose’ near the river some time after 4pm.
She is also believed to have called her friend Julie Butcher 15 minutes later, but it was a ‘pocket dial’ and the pair did not speak.
Gaynor and Julie had spoken on the phone earlier in the day at around 2.15pm but Julie cut the chat short to take a work-related call.
When she attempted to ring Gaynor back, she could not get through, nor did she receive a response to a voicemail and WhatsApp message she sent.
Specialist teams scoured the river for days and Wensum Park was closed throughout the investigation but has now reopened.
Floral tributes have been left at the gates of the park on Saturday.
Chief superintendent Dave Buckley, added: ‘The post-mortem examination has found no signs that any other parties were involved.
‘Although our searches have concluded, officers are continuing to work to establish the full circumstances surrounding Gaynor’s disappearance.
‘We will pursue all lines of enquiry to understand why she went missing.
‘Our thoughts remain with Gaynor’s family at this incredibly difficult time.’
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