“We received a call from the detention centre at 9.47am about a suspected suicide. He was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10.10am,” Annika Haaster of the Örebro police told the TT news agency.

The man had been in detention since his arrest on January 4th on suspicions of having killed colleague Eva Magnusson on December 28th.

He has continually denied the allegations.

A new detention hearing was scheduled to take place on Friday.

According to an earlier decision by the district court in Örebro in central Sweden, prosecutors were set to file formal charges during the hearing, but had requested an extension, as the police investigation was still ongoing.

Investigators were waiting for results from the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science (Statens kriminaltekniska laboratorium – SKL).

Magnusson was reported missing on December 29th and had reportedly had a relationship with the 52-year-old suspect.

On New Year’s Day, the suspect was taken in for questioning and remanded in custody three days later on suspicions of abducting Magnusson.

Parts of Magnusson’s body were found on January 10th in a wooded area outside of Örebro following a tip from a member of the public.