Essex Police has dismissed claims more resources have been employed in finding the killer of a Saudi Arabian student than a resident of the town.

Officers are currently investigating the two murders in separate, but parallel investigations.

On March 29, Jim Attfield, 33, of East Bay, Colchester, was stabbed 102 times on a path between Castle Park and Guildford Road.

Nahid Al-Manea, 31, of Woodrow Way, Colchester, was stabbed 16 times and killed on the Salary Brook Trail shortly before 10.40am on Tuesday, June 17.

Police are still looking for both murder weapons and carrrying out forensic tests on items found during exhaustive searches of both crime scenes.

Det Chief Supt Steve Worron said: “James’ murder attracted a significant amount of media attention in the days and weeks which followed.

“When Nahid was killed it meant there were two murders within three months in the same town and that attracts additional national attention and there is a cumulative effect.

“There are two separate teams working in parallel, not one team having to divide their time.”

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