The body of a young woman, believed to be that of missing teenager Georgia Williams, has been discovered following a fast-moving police investigation that has spanned England, Wales and Scotland.
The body was found buried in woodland near Wrexham, north Wales, yesterday afternoon.
The 17-year-old's mother and father – who is a police officer with the force investigating her disappearance – are said to be devastated at developments.
West Mercia Police confirmed last night that Jamie Reynolds, 22, had been charged with Georgia's murder. The news comes less than 48 hours after Reynolds was arrested in Glasgow and returned to Shropshire.
Superintendent Nav Malik of West Mercia Police said there was evidence to suggest Georgia had died at a property in her home town of Wellington, Telford.
Mr Malik said: "Following liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service, we have charged 22-year-old Jamie Reynolds with the murder of Georgia Williams.
"For obvious legal reasons, I am not in a position to talk to you about that, to ensure a fair court outcome in due course.
"Sadly, yesterday afternoon, new evidence came to light that identified Georgia had in fact died at an address in Wellington, in Telford here, and clearly that information has led us to where we are today.
"I can also confirm this afternoon the body of a female, a young female, has been found in woodland in the pass near Nant-y-Garth in Wrexham, north Wales.
"At this moment in time we haven't identified that body, but early indications do suggest it's linked to the disappearance of Georgia Williams."
Detectives had been trying to piece together the movements of the silver Hiace 300 GS van, number plate CX06 ASV, which travelled from Wellington to Glasgow via Oswestry, Rhyl, Chester, and Kendal.
Reynolds was captured on CCTV arriving in the van at a car park in the Cowcaddens area of Glasgow around 3.15pm on Tuesday.
He was arrested in the early hours of the next morning at the Premier Inn on West Nile Street after Police Scotland discovered the vehicle, which had been tracked by number plate recognition readers as it travelled north.
Reynolds was originally detained in connection with the kidnapping of the teenager.
It is known the two were friends on social media sites and had attended gigs in the same music venue in their home town.
Georgia was last seen by her parents on Sunday evening when she told them she was going to see friends.
The popular teenager was yesterday described as "bubbly", with a great sense of humour by close friends who were handing out leaflets in the hope that Georgia was alive.
One close friend, Katy Lafferty, 17, who helped organise the leaflet drop, said the last time they spoke Georgia was "her usual self", adding that her disappearance was "heart-breaking".
Ms Lafferty said: "I last spoke to her Saturday and she was just the same as she's always been – I didn't really suspect anything."
She praised the support that had been expressed by thousands of people via social media.
Mr Malik said the investigation had been particularly distressing for some of his colleagues, given that they had worked alongside the teenager's father, Stephen, who is a detective constable with the force.
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