The police are still “actively investigating” the 2008 murder of  Charlene Farrugia despite a man who claimed to have been behind her brutal killing.

Evidence is still being gathered to corroborate the claims of a man who told police he murdered the then 25-year-old and hid her body in a wartime shelter.

Charlene Farrugia.

Last July, John Paul Woods took police to the shelter within the Valletta bastions where police had found the remains of Ms Farrugia more than a decade after she went missing. 

A police spokesman said even though Mr Woods claimed to have murdered Ms Farrugia, the police need enough evidence to charge him with the crime. 

Ms Farrugia, a carer at a Siġġiewi home, went missing in November 2008. Eleven years later, on July 20, 2019, police had a breakthrough in the case when investigating a hold-up at a Gżira convenience shop. 

The police believe the car may have been used to carry her body

The man arrested over the hold-up – Mr Woods – told police he had murdered Ms Farrugia, dismembered her and hid parts of her body, which the police then found in the Valletta shelter.

Sources close to the police said only parts of the legs and skull were found. Her car had been recorded entering Valletta on CCTV but it never appeared to leave.

The police believe the car may have been used to carry her body and was either disposed of in the Grand Harbour or could still be hidden inside a garage.

Despite his claims, Mr Woods provided very little information on his motives, the weapon used and details of what took place.

Before being able to charge him with murder, the police needed to establish the body is indeed Ms Farrugia’s – which they did through DNA tests last August –and gather more evidence to back up Mr Woods’ claim.

Mr Woods is serving a seven-year jail term for attempted robbery and breach of probation. He has numer-ous convictions, including armed robbery and inflicting serious injuries on women.