DETECTIVES have more than one suspect in the murders of single mum Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson and her ­little daughter Khandalyce, whose bodies were found five years and 1200km apart.

The sensational revelation yesterday that the skeleton of a young woman found in the Belanglo State Forest in 2010 and the bones of a young girl found in a suitcase in South Australia in July this year were mother and daughter came just a month after a Facebook page “Help find Karlie” was taken down.

It was set up after Ms Pearce-Stevenson went missing from Alice Springs around 2008 to help reunite her with her sick mother. Her mother died in 2010 still believing her daughter and granddaughter were safe and living interstate.

media_camera Karlie Jade’s body was found in NSW while her daughter’s body was discovered in South Australia.

Homicide Squad commander Detective Superintendent Mick Willing yesterday said the pair was last seen when Karlie’s car was pulled over by police on the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy in northern South Australia on November 8, 2008. At the time Karlie was 20, and Khandalyce two.

Karlie’s mother reported the pair missing on September 4, 2009, but withdrew the report six days later after being reassured Karlie was safe and well, but did not want family contact at that time, Supt Willing said.

There was also an unconfirmed sighting in the ACT, a few hours from Belanglo State Forest, in December, 2008.

Karlie — who was previously given the name ‘Angel’ due to the motif on the shirt she was wearing — was a single mum and had moved away from her family with Khandalyce between 2006 and 2008, intending to travel and work.

The family, including Khandalyce’s father and Karlie’s stepfather and stepbrother, were notified of their deaths on Wednesday morning and have been ruled out as suspects.

The family released a statement describing their devastation.

“The families of Karlie and Khandalyce are grateful to the police, the community and media and everyone who has assisted or provided information in this investigation,” it read.

“As you would expect our family is devastated by this news of the deaths of Karlie and Khandalyce and we are trying to deal with the grief. We understand that this case has created considerable interest across the country but at this time we ask that you respect our privacy to allow us to grieve.”

media_camera Khandalyce Kiara Pearce’s remains were found in a suitcase in South Australia media_camera The remains of a woman found in Belanglo State Forest has been identified as Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson.

It is understood that DNA tests have linked the two bodies who police believe both died extremely violent deaths.

South Australian Major Crime Detective Superintendent Des Bray said the killer or killers of the mother and toddler were “evil”.

“This was a shocking crime, the people responsible for this are truly evil — both of these deaths. This is one of the most shocking crimes, shocking and unimaginable,” he said.

Former netball coach Steve Darling, who coached Ms Pearce-Stevenson in the under-9 Braitling Primary School team in a northern suburb of Alice Springs, said the community had tried to help.

“I was on the page for ‘Help Find Karlie’ which was taken down a month ago. The photos used by police were taken by a friend in a shopping centre in Adelaide (November, 2008, before she was stopped by police at Coober Pedy). That was the last they saw of her. A friend met up with her in town. There are so many questions,” he said.

“She was a vibrant girl, always happy, always cheerful as a young girl. A lovely girl, always pleasant,” he said.

Her cousin Samantha Harris posted about Karlie’s disappearance on her Facebook page, Channel 9 reported.

media_camera Khandalyce Kiara Pearce, the little girl whose bones were found dumped in a suitcase off the Karoonda Highway, near Wynarka in the Murray Mallee / Picture: Supplied

“To my beautiful cousin I know ur some w out the not a day goes by that I don’t think of u both I just want to know ur both safe xoxo (sic),” she wrote.

When investigators tried to identify the bones they found in Belanglo in 2010 they believed the female remains could have been a teenager due to her slight frame.

“Although she was tiny she was always in there trying for the team. She was so tiny she always looked like a much younger girl,” Mr Darling said.

“I’m absolutely gobsmacked, I can’t comprehend it. It could have been my daughter missing. You can’t process it.”

media_camera The scene on the Karoonda Hwy where Khandalyce’s body was found.

media_camera The weathered suitcase in which the young girl’s bones were found. Picture: South Australia Police

Karlie continued to play netball and was in a 2008 C-grade side.

A teammate said she was a “cute little girl who played hard”.

“Then one day she went walkabout and we heard that she did not want to be contacted,” she said.

A former family friend said Karlie struggled after having Khandalyce.

“After the baby things went downhill. Unfortunately things happen with families,” he said.

“She grew up with my daughter and lived in the area so I knew her reasonably well. Alice Springs is the type of town you know most of the kids.”

KARLIE JADE “ANGEL” TIMELINE

media_camera An aerial shot of the section of Belanglo State Forest where a woman’s body was found.

November 8, 2008: Karlie Jade last seen with her daughter Khandalyce on Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy, SA

September 4, 2009: Reported missing by Karlie’s mother. Withdrawn six days later after Karlie made contact with her mother.

August 29, 2010: Unidentified female’s body found in the Belanglo State Forest south of Sydney

September 15, 2010: Ivan Milat ruled out as a suspect

media_camera Forensic crews in Belanglo State Forest where a woman’s body was found in 2010. She has been linked to a young girl whose bones were found in a suitcase in South Australia.

December, 2011: Police appeal for help from public, release computer-generated image created by Australia’s only facial anthropologist

November, 2012: Police entertain theory that Ivan Milat’s nephew Matthew could have been involved with ‘Angel’s’ death

October 21, 2015: Police announce they have identified ‘Angel’ as Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson

KHANDALYCE KIARA PEARCE TIMELINE

media_camera Clothing found in the suitcase with the girl’s bones. Picture: SAPOL

November 8, 2008: Khandalyce last seen with her mother Karlie Jade on Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy, SA

September 4, 2009: Reported missing by Karlie’s mum

October 9, 2009: Missing person’s report withdrawn

April/May, 2015: Strange man, about 60, seen carrying a suitcase seen heading out of Wynarka, SA

July 14, 2015: The bones of Khandalyce were found in a weathered suitcase dumped beside a South Australian highway 1.5km outside the tiny town of Wynarka

July 29, 2015: 43 children including Madeleine McCann ruled out as the potential victim. William Tyrell also ruled out quickly.

October 21, 2015: Police announce they have identified the young girl as Khandalyce Kiara Pearce, from Alice Springs