Police said on Thursday morning he was charged with the murder of Ms Scott after police allegedly found blood in a vehicle and a photograph, of what is believed to be a burnt body, on a camera. Life cut short: Stephanie Scott. Credit:Facebook Mr Stanford's matter was briefly mentioned in Griffith Local Court before magistrate Kate Thompson on Thursday afternoon. He did not appear in court. His solicitor did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. It is expected Mr Stanford will next appear before Griffith Local Court via video link on June 4.

Ms Scott, a popular drama and English teacher, was last seen at the school on Easter Sunday, six days before she was due to marry her partner of five years, Aaron Leeson-Woolley. Murdered days before her wedding: Stephanie Scott. Credit:Facebook Fairfax Media understands police have seized the camera that contains photographic evidence. Police began to home in on Mr Stanford on Wednesday after allegedly finding holes in his alibi. When they questioned him they allegedly found a number of items linked to Ms Scott's death. Stephanie Scott's car on the side of the road in a wheat field about eight kilometres from Leeton. Credit:Channel Nine

Ms Scott's car, a red Mazda 3 sedan with registration BZ-19-CD, was spotted by a helicopter on Thursday morning, abandoned in a wheat field about eight kilometres outside Leeton. Two police officers are guarding the car. A senior manager of the cleaning company that employs Mr Stanford said he had undergone standard criminal checks before he was employed. Stephanie Scott was due to be married on Saturday. Credit:Facebook Colin Joss & Co cleaning division manager Fleur Dooley said the suspect had worked for the Albury based company since October last year. Search for body continues: police

Griffith Local Area Commander Michael Rowan said that the police still had no idea where Ms Scott's body was. "This inquiry is in its infancy, it will take time," he told a media conference on Thursday. He said that the police had so far secured two crime scenes, one at Wamoon where Ms Scott's car was found this morning and another at a residential property in Leeton. He added that a number of areas within Leeton High School had been examined but that no crime scenes had been established there. Detective Rowan described Ms Scott's death as a tragedy for the community.

"This is a tragedy for the family, it's a tragedy for NSW, it's a tragedy for society," he said. He said that police had been overwhelmed by the community's response. "We have been inundated with calls since Tuesday morning." But he asked people to now respect the privacy of Ms Scott's family. He would not comment on claims that the family was forced to hire its own helicopter on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to find Ms Scott.

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen an older model white Toyota Hilux space-cab two-wheel-drive, with a canopy over the back, travelling in Leeton or surrounding towns since Sunday, to contact them. Stephanie excited about wedding: sister On Wednesday, Ms Scott's sister, Robyn, told Fairfax Media that her sister was incredibly excited about her upcoming wedding, due to take place on Saturday in the central western NSW town of Eugowra. More than 100 guests were due to attend the wedding, including family who had travelled from overseas. "I spoke to her on that Saturday night, and she was over the moon, she was so excited. She had been to Griffith that day shopping and getting ready for the honeymoon," Robyn said.

Robyn said her sister had gone to Leeton High School on Easter Sunday morning to prepare lessons for a replacement teacher who would take over her English and drama classes while she was on honeymoon in Tahiti. She said that, at 12.59pm on Easter Sunday, her sister sent an email to the bus company that was due to take wedding guests to the reception venue on Saturday. In the email, Ms Scott confirmed she had paid the final deposit into the bus company's bank account. That was Ms Scott's last known action. Police formed Strike Force Gundibri to investigate Ms Scott's disappearance.

Police said that, on Wednesday night, officers attended a home on Maiden Avenue, where they spoke to two residents. About 7.30pm, another resident of the home – a 24-year-old man – arrived at the property and was arrested and later charged with one count of murder. Devastating news: Mayor Paul Maytom, the mayor of Leeton Shire, said news of Ms Scott's suspected murder was "absolutely devastating". "I'm still trying to come to terms with it," he said on Thursday.

"The last few days everyone's been talking about it in the town. For her to mysteriously disappear like that, everyone was hoping she was going to be found, and found alive. We didn't know what could have happened. "I was not considering it would end up like this. We have a small community, most people know each other or know the families in our shire, and to have someone like Stephanie, who's such a well-liked person, just about to be married next weekend ... it's just devastating." Cr Maytom said Ms Scott's fiance had been "absolutely worried sick" since her disappearance. Neighbours shocked Neighbours on Maiden Avenue were shocked to discover police on their street after news of Ms Scott's disappearance had overwhelmed the small town.

"You just don't expect anything like this in this area," said Janice Cameron, who has lived for 34 years next to the house were Mr Stanford was arrested. "It is a very quiet neighbourhood, we don't have any trouble." Mrs Cameron said that Mr Stanford had moved into the area about a year ago, and that the resident in the house mostly kept to themselves. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, described the accused's household as "beautiful people". "They would always say hello in the street, just like everyone does when you live in a tiny town like ours."

She said she was extremely surprised to learn that Mr Stanford had been arrested in connection with Ms Scott's death. Fairfax Media has spoken to the proprietors of several local pubs and clubs in the small town of 6700 residents, but none had heard of Mr Stanford. "It's really bizarre. Absolutely nobody knows him, and in a town this tiny, that's really strange," said Ashleigh Stockton, a receptionist at Leeton Soldier's Club. "He's my age and I've lived here all my life but I have no idea who this guy is. It's a bit of a mystery." - with Kate Aubusson

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