The Sun today put up a £50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the killer of 25-year-old Bristol woman Joanna Yeates.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones told The Sun: “I am grateful for the generosity of The Sun. And I am sure Jo’s family will be touched by this kind gesture.
“It demonstrates the level to which the murder has touched the nation – and the commitment of the media in supporting our efforts to bring whoever is responsible to justice.
“I’m sure someone out there has that vital piece of information we need to catch Jo’s killer.
“I would urge anyone with any information to come forward and help us find the answers both ourselves and Jo’s family want and need.”
The Sun is circulating reward posters in the Clifton area of Bristol where Joanna Yeates disappeared on 17 December.
Meanwhile, the murdered woman’s former landlord Chris Jefferies is understood to have told friends he is planning legal action against both the police and the media.
Jefferies was questioned by police for three days last week in connection with Yeates’ disappearance.
A friend of the former English teacher told the Daily Telegraph yesterday: “Chris emailed me and said he was going to be eliminated from police enquiries in the next day or so.
“He said: ‘The ordeal is almost over’. He is preparing a case against the media and the police, I believe. This has completely shattered his life.”
Jefferies’ arrest was accompanied by widespread coverage in The Sun and other titles – and if cleared he could well have grounds to launch libel actions over coverage which insinuated that he was guilty.
The Sun has said that its reward is for ‘anyone supplying information directly leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for Jo’s murder”.
The Sun today urged online readers to spread the word about the reward via Facebook and Twitter.
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