The suspect in the Boxing Day murder of Nicolas Dill was caught yesterday morning in Southampton after an intensive three-day search.

Police have confirmed the arrest of the 33-year old man was made without incident, after what was described by Commissioner Jonathan Smith as an ?highly-resourced? operation.

The man has not yet been identified and it is not known if or when he may aappear in court.

?The search lasted just under 72 hours and was extremely thorough,? Mr. Smith said.

?At the operation?s peak we had about 40 officers involved. Overall the information that came our way was pretty limited but the information that mattered at the end was extremely accurate and as a result we were able to make the arrest just prior to 8 a.m. this morning.?

During a press conference at the Cabinet Office yesterday lunchtime, Mr. Smith was grilled on why Police had been reluctant to release the name of the murder suspect given his potential threat to the community.was in possession of the suspect?s name a few hours after the attack, but has been unable to go public with his identity because of legal concerns.

?The legal issue in Bermuda, quite properly, is that any individual has a right to a fair trial,? Mr. Smith argued. ?The early publication of the suspect?s name and photograph does not assist the fair trial process and we have been acting within the confines of that law.

?But the public can be assured the apprehension of the murder suspect was an urgent priority.?

Mr. Dill was stabbed to death at his home on Pearman?s Hill, Warwick, following a heated row with another man.

Mr. Dill?s friend, Stacy Ann Pike, who was present in the house at the time of the attack, was also injured in the altercation and required almost 30 stitches to a deep gash in her head inflicted by a machete.

She is understood to be in an extremely emotional state and was placed in hospital care several days ago.

l Mr. Smith also revealed the autopsies on the bodies of two other men found dead in suspicious circumstances over the holiday period have yet to be carried out.

Scotty Madeiros, 50, was discovered by Police in the back of his car at a Southampton Residence on December 21 while the body of Dennis Hodson, 55, was found floating in the water off Mangrove Bay on Christmas Eve.

Mr. Hodson was last seen on Wednesday December 22 at around 3 p.m. at Spanish Point Boat Club.

Police are appealing for any member of the public who may have seen him between then and Christmas Eve to contact Somerset CID on 234-1010.

Police are particularly anxious to speak to anyone who may have seen Mr. Hodson in the Somerset area.