Murder police question 200 people

Peter Solheim was a parish councillor

Police officers investigating the murder of a man from Cornwall have questioned more than 200 people.

The body of Peter Solheim, 56, from Carnkie, near Helston, was found on 18 June by a trawler crew five miles off Black Head, near Falmouth.

His boat, found in Mylor Harbour, was reported to police a week later.

Police carried out a 15-hour operation of questioning people in Falmouth and the harbour where his boat was found which finished on Thursday morning.

'Clarify timings'

Police said the questioning operation led to about a dozen lines of inquiry which merited further investigation.

Parish councillor Mr Solheim was last seen launching his dinghy at Mylor Harbour on June 16. His boats was found

Although Mr Solheim died of drowning, a post-mortem examination revealed a number of "unexplained injuries" on his body.

Police want to hear from a man called Charlie who it is thought Mr Solheim was going to meet at the time of his disappearance.

Police said they and Mr Solheim's family knew "very little" about Charlie and were "very keen" to discover who he was.

Mr Solheim's boat, the Izzwizz, was found drifting in Mylor Harbour

Detective Sergeant John Trott of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We're just trying to clarify timings when Mr Solheim's would have come down to the harbour.

"Somebody may have seen him meet up with another gentleman. This may be the Charlie that we're looking for who we still haven't managed to trace."

An examination of Mr Solheim's body revealed he had not been in the water long when it was found.

This and the fact that his 18ft fishing boat, the Izzwizz, was found floating in Carrick Roads led officers to start the murder inquiry.

Police said it was "not feasible" that the body could have floated from Mylor to the spot where it was found.

An incident room has been set up at Falmouth Police station.