Jogger murder: man is arrested

The 36-year-old suspect was held by detectives at an address in Cambridgeshire this morning.

He is being questioned about the frenzied knife attack on American Margaret Muller as she ran though Victoria Park at 8.30am on 3 February 2003.

Miss Muller, 27, a post-graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art, regularly jogged in the park near her home. She had recently moved into an artists' complex in Hackney Wick.

After her death, her parents made an emotional appeal and said they had been concerned that she was living in a rundown area of London which had a high crime rate.

Scotland Yard launched a huge manhunt but despite a series of appeals struggled to make a breakthrough.

Detectives believe the killing was a random attack by a stranger who picked on Miss Muller, who was 4ft 10ins and weighed seven stone, because of her slight build. The killer left no forensic evidence behind and there were no witnesses to the attack. But the case remained open and two years ago police launched a review of the investigation and announced a £20,000 reward for information.

One of the only clues came from a witness who described seeing a man in a luminous orange and yellow jogging top running close to Miss Muller shortly before she was killed.

He was described as aged between 35 and 40 and about six feet tall. The runner has never been traced.

Police today also disclosed that 46-year-old man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of assisting an offender in connection with the Muller case. He was taken to an east London police station and later released on police bail.

Miss Muller came from Virginia and studied at the George Mason University before moving to Britain in 1998. After completing her postgraduate course at the Slade, she continued to work there as a studio assistant. She was described as "a vibrant student with a passion for her subject".

Miss Muller supplemented her teaching income by selling her paintings and was acquiring a reputation as a promising artist.