QUESTIONS surrounding the death of Rachel Whitear, believed to have been killed by a drugs overdose, may never be answered because a post-mortem was not carried out, according to an investigation by the Police Complaints Authority.

The 21-year-old Ledbury girl's death shocked the nation when pictures of her body as it was found in her room were published.

She was known to be a heroin addict and was found with a used syringe lying on the floor near her.

But since her death in May 2000, questions have been raised about whether the cause of her death was as straightforward as it seemed.

At the inquest in December 2000, coroner Richard van Oppen recorded an open verdict because toxicology reports had revealed a heroin level below the usual amount which would ordinarily could kill someone.

Her parents Pauline and Michael Holcroft were also concerned because their daughter appeared to have made a fresh start with her life in Exmouth.

They made an official complaint about Devon and Cornwall Police and an investigation has been carried out by the Police Complaints Authority using officers from Wiltshire Police.

The investigation is expected to be completed by the end of the year, but preliminary findings indicate that it was a mistake not to have carried out a post-mortem.

A second mistake was that no exterior examination of the body was carried out for signs of injuries.

To date, the inquiry has found no evidence that Rachel was unlawfully killed, but without a post-mortem inspectors are expected to say they are unable to rule it out entirely.

Investigators say her body was blocking the door of her Exmouth flat, suggesting no one got in or out, and if she had given up heroin her tolerance would be lower, increasing the risk of her overdosing.

Her ex-boyfriend Luke Fitzgerald, with whom she had broken up the day before she is believed to have died, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in August this year but was released without charge because no evidence was found to suggest he had been involved.

The inquiry's preliminary findings also say there was no forensic evidence that he had been in the flat.

Mr and Mrs Holcroft told the Evening News they did not want to comment until the investigation was complete and the findings made public.