Annette Smith: Human remains found in storage unit in search for missing Bedfordshire woman

A man has been charged with the murder of missing Bedfordshire woman Annette Smith after human remains were discovered.

The remains were found in a storage unit in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, by police officers on Tuesday.

Ms Smith, 74, from Fairfield in Stotfold, went missing around November last year.

Formal identification has not taken place but her next of kin have been informed by police.

Scott Paterson, 44, of no fixed address, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the investigation into Ms Smith's disappearance and was charged the following day with her murder.

He was remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Det Insp Katie Dounias, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire major crime unit, said: “This is clearly a distressing time for Annette’s friends, family and all those from the tight close-knit community she was from.

"Our thoughts are with them at this time and we have specialist officers supporting her loved ones.

“We are continuing to carry out extensive inquiries in relation to this complex investigation and we would urge anyone with information to come forward.”

Bedfordshire Police appealed for information about Ms Smith's whereabouts on 15 April.

Five days after an appeal was made for information, detectives upgraded the investigation to a murder inquiry, saying she had not been seen since November.

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