By Craig Smith

POLICE IN Fife yesterday confirmed that the body of a young woman found in a Leven flat on Thursday is that of Kelty woman Lisa Nelson.

Detectives investigating the death have revealed they are anxious to speak to the tenant of the property in connection with the 26-year-old’s suspicious death.

Miss Nelson was officially reported missing by her family on Sunday, October 8, but was last seen leaving her home in the Kelty area on Monday, September 25.

Her body was later discovered at around 11am on Thursday morning within 37 Haughgate Street, an upstairs flat registered to 45-year-old David Whitelaw.

Mr Whitelaw, described by neighbours yesterday as a fairly quiet man, has since disappeared. Police are now urgently seeking to question him as part of their investigation.

An initial post mortem into the cause of death was held yesterday afternoon and while inquiries to that effect are continuing, Det Supt Ian Hutton confirmed that officers are refusing to rule anything out at this stage.

“An autopsy was carried out today and we are continuing to treat her death as suspicious and are awaiting the results of further forensic tests,” he said.

“Forensic examination of the flat is also continuing and a major incident room has been set up at Glenrothes Police Station.”

The property where Miss Nelson’s body was found, one of a block of four just yards from the junction with Waggon Road, is used as accommodation for homeless people in the area and has had many different tenants in recent years.

Although many locals did not know Mr Whitelaw by name, one woman, who did not wish to be named, described him as a “fairly quiet” man who was relatively new to the area.

She added that she believed he had been living in the flat for a number of weeks but admitted she had not seen him recently.

Mr Whitelaw is described as being 5 ft 8 in tall, of stocky build with short grey receding hair. He has a Scottish accent.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact police on (01592) 251111 or the incident room on (01592) 418691.

Whatever the circumstances behind the death, news of the grim discovery has stunned local people.

Soon after the initial discovery at around 11am on Thursday, police blocked off the entire street to traffic and cordoned off the block of flats in question with tape.

As is the norm when such a police presence builds up, rumours began to circulate around local people but police immediately dismissed one story that an 18-year-old man had been found in a garden shed.

Officers questioned residents in the area on Thursday night and for most of yesterday, although the door-to-door operation is likely to extend into the weekend.

A police spokeswoman said further details would be released as soon as they became available but Miss Nelson’s family requested some privacy at this time.