US murder suspect dead in motel

Sgt Duncan Pound: "Preliminary evidence suggests he took his own life"

A reality TV show contestant suspected of murdering his wife near Los Angeles has been found dead in a motel room in British Columbia, Canada, police say.

Ryan Jenkins, 32, had been the subject of a massive manhunt after the naked body of Jasmine Fiore, a 28-year-old former model, was found in a suitcase.

He had reported his wife missing, and then disappeared himself. His boat was found near the US-Canada border.

Police said it was unclear how long Jenkins' body had been in the motel.

Ryan Jenkins was found hanged at a secluded Canadian motel.

Sgt Duncan Pound of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police says investigators were alerted after police had responded to a call about a dead person at the Thunderbird Motel in Hope, east of Vancouver.

"Preliminary evidence suggests that he took his own life," said Sgt Pound.

A police source in California said that Jenkins had hanged himself and was identified by his fingerprints.

Motel manager Kevin Walker said Mr Jenkins checked into the Thunderbird Motel along with a young woman last Thursday, AP news agency reported.

The woman is said to have checked them in and paid cash for three days stay. When the couple did not check out, the manager says he unlocked their room and found a man hanging from the bar of a clothing rack.

The body of Ryan Jenkins was found hours after the Canadian police confirmed he had entered the country.

He is said to have used a boat he owned in the state of Washington to escape the US authorities near the border with Canada.

Reports say the authorities believe Mr Jenkins had fled to Canada in order to escape the death penalty in the United States.

Mangled body

Jenkins had been taking part in the show Megan Wants a Millionaire. Described as an investment banker, Mr Jenkins was one of several wealthy young men trying to win the affections of a young woman in the show.

Jasmine Fiore was found dead 10 days ago

The TV channel VH1 cancelled the series after he was identified as a suspect.

Ms Fiore had no connection with the show, but she and Mr Jenkins had married in Las Vegas in March.

Her mangled body was found in a suitcase in a metal rubbish bin in Buena Park, south of Los Angeles, on 15 August. She was identified by a serial number on her breast implants.

After several days of searching, police found Jenkins' boat more than 950 miles (1,500km) north of Los Angeles - in the town of Point Roberts on the Canadian border.

"We continue to believe that Mr Jenkins was solely responsible" for the murder, said a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office in California, after his death was announced.