International drug crime could be at the root of a murder which has seen butchered body parts discovered across three counties.

At a press conference yesterday, police revealed that the man whose severed head was found in Asfordby, near Melton, had been stabbed in the back.

Detectives also disclosed they were reconstructing a clay model of the victim's face, based on the grim Leicestershire find.

A more detailed description of the man was also given by the leading officer into the murder, who said it was one of the most "horrific" crimes he had ever dealt with.

A team of Leicestershire officers are working through a local list on the missing persons database, in an effort to identify the victim.

Detectives from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are also scouring CCTV footage in the Asfordby area as part of their investigation.

They have already eliminated 60 missing men from their inquiries.

Speaking at Hertfordshire police's headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Hanlon said: "It is a very exceptional crime, not just in Hertfordshire but the UK as a whole.

"Quite large steps have been taken to stop police identifying the victim.

"It's certainly one of the most horrific crimes I have dealt with."

None of the body parts were buried or concealed, and Mr Hanlon said this was "strange" and that it could mean they were left "with the intention of the police finding them".

He said the offenders may have removed the victim's hands because they knew the police could use them to identify him.

The murder hunt began three weeks ago when a left leg was found in the Hertfordshire village of Cottered on March 22.

Since then a head, torso, two arms and another leg have been found and 100 officers are involved in the case.

Detectives are now waiting for clues from scientists and crime mapping experts, who are working on a geographical and behavioural profile of the suspect.

These findings are expected by the end of the week.

Dr Vincent Egan, Leicester University's senior lecturer in forensic psychology, said specialists would be able to piece together vital clues from studying the locations of where the body parts were found and the fact little effort had been made to conceal them.

One theory is that the murder, or murderers, may be sending out a warning signal, a possibility the police confirmed they were looking into yesterday.

Dr Egan said: "This was a very conscious, determined act and, significantly, it would appear that they wanted the body parts to be found.

"It may be some sort of statement to discourage other people in the criminal world from crossing them. I would be extremely surprised if this was not linked to organised crime."

Yesterday police said they believe the victim was in his mid-40s to early 60s and weighed between 16 and 17 stone.

Previously the police said the victim was either white or Asian, with two front teeth missing.