Leeton turns out to mourn Stephanie Scott

A vigil has been held tonight in the NSW town of Leeton to remember Stephanie Scott, a teacher murdered just days before her wedding, as the hunt for her remains continues after police discovered grisly photos of a burnt body.

bride to be

Supplied image of missing bride-to-be Stephanie Scott (left), 26. (AAP Image/Facebook)

A vigil has been held at Leeton High School tonight to remember Stephanie Scott, who disappeared less than a week before her wedding, as the hunt for her remains continues after police discovered grisly photos of a burnt body. 

Vincent Stanford, 24, was charged with murder on Thursday, four days after high school teacher Stephanie Scott went missing from her hometown of Leeton in the NSW Riverina.

Although Ms Scott's body is yet to be found, Stanford, a cleaner at Leeton High School where she worked, is accused of killing the 26-year-old on Easter Sunday.

Police spent Thursday at his Leeton home, which neighbours say he shared with his mother, after seizing his Toyota Hilux the night before. In the car, officers found a camera with images of a burnt body.

Neighbours say they saw Stanford the day after Ms Scott disappeared hanging his freshly-washed clothes on the line.

Gail and Bill Scanlan said Stanford had often been at their home for tea since he and his family moved next door on Maiden Avenue more than 12 months ago.

"He was very well-mannered," Mrs Scanlan said.

"He was unassuming ... quiet."

The Leeton community has rallied around Ms Scott's family and fiance Aaron Leeson Woolley who visited a moving memorial at Leeton High School on Thursday.

Rather than preparing for Saturday's wedding, Mr Leeson Woolley hugged friends and wiped away tears as he read the messages left from students and colleagues on the school fence.

Her parents, Merrilyn and Robert Scott, walked the length of the balloon-adorned fence while candles were lit for Ms Scott.

They were surrounded by a large group of supporters, with police blocking off the street as they paid tribute.

A student said the yellow balloons, ribbons and flowers left was to symbolise friendship.

Ms Scott was last seen on Easter Sunday at 11am at the school where she had gone to ensure her work was done ahead of her honeymoon to Tahiti. Officers have examined areas at the school and haven't ruled out more crime scenes.

"There are also a number of other locations of interest to us at this point,' Detective Superintendent Michael Rowan said on Thursday. Officers, with the help of SES volunteers, also searched a vineyard on the outskirts of Leeton on Thursday after finding Ms Scott's red Mazda 3 sitting in the middle of a field.

Mrs Scanlan said Stanford initially struggled to get a job in the region after moving to Australia from the Netherlands, where he worked as a professional cleaner. His mother worked as a nurse at a local retirement village, she added.

The family had previously lived in Tasmania, according to neighbours, and Stanford has a twin brother in South Australia.

Fleur Dooley, a manager with Colin Joss and Co, which employed Stanford as a cleaner, said he cleared police and working with children checks when he was hired in October, 2014.

Stanford will appear in court in June.


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Source: AAP


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