• Charlene Farrugia was likely killed in St Paul's Bay apartment 
• Her body was probably taken to Valletta in her own car
• Police found only parts of legs and a skull in the search on Saturday
• The car may have been disposed of in Grand Harbour 

A woman who disappeared 11 years ago is likely to have been killed in her apartment before her body was dismembered and transported to Valletta in her own car, police believe.

The shocking details emerged as officers investigate what happened to 25-year-old carer Charlene Farrugia, who went missing in November 2008.

John Paul Charles Woods, 39, is the main suspect in the case. On Monday he was jailed for seven years for a hold-up in a shop in Gżira last week that sparked the investigation into the mystery.

Police found human remains near Valletta last Saturday after Mr Woods claimed he had hidden some of her body parts there. 

Police found human remains behind a grey container near Valletta on Saturday. Picture: Matthew Mirabelli

Sources say Mr Woods, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he revealed details about the case, is helping the police with the investigations.

Intense interrogations over the past few days led officers to gather more information.

Police sources say it is believed Ms Farrugia was killed in her St Paul’s Bay apartment. A kitchen knife was then used to dismember her body before it was transported to Valletta in garbage bags, police believe. 

The sources said only parts of human legs and skull were found when officers descended on site on Saturday. While officers believe the human remains belong to Ms Farrugia, it is likely to take weeks before DNA confirms their suspicions.

Ms Farrugia's family have been left devastated by the discovery. 

Noemi Farrugia had campaigned for years to find out what happened her sister Charlene

Noemi Farrugia, who campaigned for years to find out what happened to her younger sister, told Times of Malta she can "hardly bear the tragedy". 

Ms Farrugia, a carer at residential home Dar tal-Providenza, went missing on November 7, 2008. She lived in Qawra but was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and white jogging shoes and driving a grey Toyota Platz.

Her car was recorded entering Valletta on CCTV around the capital, but it never appeared to leave. The police believe the car was either disposed of in the Grand Harbour or could be hidden inside one of the many garages. 

Sources close to the investigation told Times of Malta that Mr Woods, who was a regular patient at Mount Carmel Hospital, escaped from the psychiatric hospital last Monday and had helped another patient escape.

However, the two parted ways. While the other patient went one way, Mr Woods proceeded to Gzira where he carried out an armed robbery at a Convenience shop. He was locked inside the shop and arrested. 

Earlier Monday, Mr Woods was arraigned in court and charged with the attempted theft at the Gżira shop. 

John Paul Charles Woods entering court on Monday. He was jailed for seven years for a hold-up in Gżira.

An earlier version of this article described Mr Woods as an ex-boyfriend of Charlene Farrugia.