I'm still wanting my Jo to come through the door

Teresa Yeates wept as she talked of coming to terms with life without her 25-year-old daughter, whose frozen snow-covered body was found by dog-walkers on Christmas morning.

Speaking from her home in the Hampshire village of Ampfield, Mrs Yeates said: "She just had this joy and vibrancy, even though she didn't live here.

"I am sat in the kitchen just wanting her to come through the door. It is just so quiet here without her."

The search for clues to the murder continued yesterday as crime scene investigators forensically examined Miss Yeates's flat in the Clifton area of Bristol, three miles from where she was found strangled.

Detectives renewed their appeal for information and placed an advert on the Facebook internet site in the hope of attracting nationwide interest in the case.

Det Chief Insp Phil Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: "The majority of people these days are spending time on Facebook and other social networking sites. This has become part of everyday routine for many people.

"This advert allows us to point people to special features on our website with all the latest information, it allows them to contact the incident room direct online rather than calling in.

"I would once again urge anyone who may have not contacted my team and may have information that could help this inquiry to contact us. Let us decide if this information is significant."

Avon and Somerset Police said it had used Facebook successfully in other high-profile cases and had found it to be more cost-effective than putting up posters and distributing leaflets.

The force's head of e-services, Scott Fulton, said: "Social media is growing rapidly and has become a daily factor in most people's routine.

"On this inquiry alone we have had shares of the story from the force's Facebook page of 24,220.

"Additionally there have been over 63,000 views of the news updates on our website, a further 18,000 on the dedicated Jo page and over 70,000 views of the closed circuit TV clips on our YouTube channel.

"Through the website we have had 260 inbound messages to the incident room. Anyone can send information to the team this way via web address www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/jo.

"We have been very pleased with information received via these channels on this investigation and we hope this advert will encourage even more people to come forward."

Passers-by were warned to stay away from Miss Yeates's flat in Canynge Road yesterday as crime scene investigators used dangerous chemicals to help reveal any fingerprints or other forensic evidence.

Investigators in white suits were seen coming out of the flat, while a number of uniformed officers entered the flat of her landlord, Chris Jefferies, on the floor above.

Mr Jefferies, 65, the only person to be arrested as part of the investigation so far, is on police bail pending further inquiries.

The retired public school teacher was detained last Thursday on suspicion of the murder and held until Saturday night.

Police have suggested that more than one person may be responsible for the murder of Miss Yeates, who is not believed to have been sexually assaulted.

Mr Jones said: "I can assure you we are determined to solve this crime, and bring Jo's killers to justice."

When asked about this comment later, he said: "I think that phrase emphasises that I am not making any assumptions in this case."

Women have been advised not to walk home alone and police have maintained increased patrols in the Clifton area to reassure the public.

Miss Yeates was last seen on the evening of December 17 after she had been drinking with colleagues in the Ram public house in Park Street.

Her fully clothed body was found eight days later on a grass verge in Longwood Lane, Failand, North Somerset.

A 10,000 reward is on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of her killer.

BIG GAPS REMAIN FOR INQUIRY

More than two weeks after she was last seen alive, and 10 days since her body was found, detectives still do not know where or when Joanna Yeates was murdered.

Det Chief Insp Phil Jones admitted there were significant gaps in what officers knew about her final hours.

He said: "I am satisfied that Jo got back to her flat but I'm not able to speculate whether she let somebody into the flat, whether somebody was already in there or whether someone broke into the flat."

Officers have searched in vain through 293 tonnes of domestic rubbish to find a pizza which Miss Yeates bought on the night she disappeared. "No stone will be left unturned," Det Chief Insp Jones added.