<p><br /> Joanna Yeates, whose snow-covered body was found by dog walkers on Christmas Day, was strangled, police have confirmed.<br /> </p><p><br /> Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones of Avon and Somerset Police revealed the results of a post mortem examination as he declared that her death was now officially being treated as a murder investigation.<br /> </p><p><br /> He said Joanna, who disappeared on Friday, December 17, had died as a result of compression of the neck.<br /> </p><p><br /> He appealed for any information about her murder, adding: "Somebody out there does know what happened to Joanna."<br /> </p><p><br /> Speaking at a press conference he said police believed her body had been at the spot where she was found for several days.<br /> </p><p><br /> "What we have to do next is to try and find out why she was killed and who was responsible," he added.<br /> </p>
