THE murderer who cut the cords of Herefordshire skydiver Stephen Hilder's parachute could be a student with a good background and no criminal record, Humberside Police believe.

The 20-year-old officer cadet, from Stretton Sugwas, near Hereford, plunged 13,000ft to his death after the killer sabotaged his parachute during the skydiving championships at Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire, on Friday, July 4.

Detectives are continuing their investigations and now say that it is possible someone knows who the murderer is but is refusing to come forward.

"We believe that the killer is from the skydiving community, of which many are students," said a Humberside Police spokeswoman.

"When we attended the airfield on the Friday we got the names of all the people there - they were all students and none had criminal records.

"Who is to say that the killer was among them? We do not know that.

"There is a good chance that somebody other than the killer may know who committed the crime. In most murders the killers tell a third party.

"However, we do not know that to be the case - rather we believe it to be."

All senior investigating officers from across the force met at Scunthorpe Police Station yesterday to review the investigation almost exactly eight weeks after it began.