Detectives investigating the disappearance and murder of Mrs Attracta Harron (65) last night found a decomposed body in Sion Mills, Co Tyrone, 4½ miles from where the retired librarian was last seen alive close to her Strabane home on December 11th last year.
The body was found buried close to a stream at Concess Road, in the immediate vicinity of an address given by Mr Trevor William Hamilton, who appeared in court in Omagh on March 28th charged with Mrs Harron's murder.
The 21-year-old unemployed student has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Yesterday's search operation, which started just before midday, was carried out by PSNI officers, who were accompanied by a specialist search unit from the South Yorkshire Police Constabulary.
Trained recovery dogs were used during the search.
Following the discovery, the body was removed from the scene and transferred to Forester Green Hospital in Belfast, where a post-mortem examination will be carried out today to establish the cause of death.