Police held a press conference in Gällivare at midday Saturday and confirmed that while the 50-year-old has not been charged, evidence is mounting against him.

“We have found traces of human blood in the car. After we got a match on the blood found in the man’s car, the grade of suspicion against the man has been increased to the highest level,” said prosecutor Ulrika Schönbeck.

Police on Saturday were continuing the search for Carolin Stenvall’s body.

Stenvall disappeared in Norrbotten in northern Sweden on September 12th as she was travelling to Kiruna for an interview. Her car was found abandoned near a stone bridge on the E10 motorway southeast of Gällivare the next day.

Over 20 local police officers and 14 dogs have been deployed in the search for Stenvall with assistance from the National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID).

By midday Saturday police had still not found any trace of Stenvall’s body.

Schönbeck said at the press conference that police remain uncertain as to the cause of death.

Schönbeck also revealed that Stenvall’s blood had also been found both on a car mat found on the roadside south of Gällivare, and in a summer house owned by the suspect.

The 50-year-old man continues to deny all charges levelled against him.

Several interviews have been conducted with the man since his arrest on Thursday night but he denies any involvement in Carolin Stenvall’s disappearance.