A prostitute found dead in woods near Ipswich on Sunday was asphyxiated, detectives have revealed.
Police said they were launching a third murder inquiry into the death of Anneli Alderton, 24, whose body was found in Nacton, Suffolk.
Detectives said further tests were being carried out to discover whether Miss Alderton - from Colchester, Essex - had been sexually assaulted.
Miss Alderton was the third prostitute found dead near Ipswich in a 10-day period.
Gemma Adams, 25, was found murdered in a stream at Hintlesham on Saturday December 2.
Tania Nicol, 19, was found dead in a pond at Copdock, Suffolk, the following Friday, December 8.
Police have not yet revealed how Miss Adams and Miss Nicol died. But they say neither was sexually assaulted.
Detectives have appealed for anyone with information about Miss Alderton - whose family live in Harwich, Essex - to come forward.
Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull said a third murder inquiry had been launched following post mortem tests on Miss Alderton's body.
"It is important that we try to piece together Anneli's final movements," said Mr Gull. "We know that, like Gemma and Tania, she did work as a prostitute in Ipswich. However, unlike them, she had not been reported missing."
