THE mother of a murdered South Ham man has appealed for the public to help find the killer who scattered her son's butchered body across a housing estate.

The severed head of Tristian Lovelock, 25, of St Nicholas Court, was discovered by Vic Mansi, 65, when he was walking his dog in nearby Russell Howard Park.

Five hours later, police recovered the mutilated torso and one of Mr Lovelock's arms following a search of another house in St Nicholas Court, occupied by 27-year-old Richard Markham.

A neighbour found another arm in her back garden, and the missing legs were discovered by police on Saturday morning following a search of the Basingstoke park.

Police said Markham - who left for New York on a British Airways flight from Heathrow at 11.05am on Friday - is wanted for questioning over the murder of the father of two.

They added the factory worker is considered to be "very dangerous" and warned the public not to approach him.

Mr Lovelock's mother, Ruth Halliday, 46, yesterday said her son's life should never have been taken away and appealed for the public to help find the murderer.

"Tristian has been violently and horrifically taken away from me in the prime of his life," she said.

"Please come forward with any information you have. I do not want anyone else to suffer."

Police said the two men were last seen together at 8pm on Thursday after they had been drinking at the home of a mutual friend.

They had known each other for eight years and were considered to be friends.

Police have so far been unable to piece together what happened between the pair meeting on Thursday evening and Markham taking a taxi to Heathrow at 3am on Friday.

Taxi driver Richard Kettringham, 30, of All Area Taxis and Private Hire in Winton Square, said Markham - who sat in the front seat of the cab - did not behave unusually.

Mr Kettringham said: "He told me his girlfriend had kicked him out and he wanted to get away for a few weeks.

"I first realised he was wanted by the police when I heard the news on Saturday morning."

Basingstoke councillor Phil Heath said he had known Mr Markham and his family for some years.

He said: "I bumped into him a few months ago at a local restaurant.

"He seemed quite settled. He was a very nice lad."

A post mortem on Saturday revealed that Mr Lovelock, an unemployed carpenter, was killed by a blow to the head with a blunt instrument.

Senior investigating officer Superintendent John James, of Basingstoke police, was unwilling to provide any more details about the nature of Mr Lovelock's death.

"The motive for this murder is completely inexplicable," he said.

"It is beyond my experience and the experience of the other investigating officers."

He added: "New York police have confirmed Richard Markham did arrive in New York mid-afternoon on Friday.

"They are making appropriate inquiries on our behalf to ascertain his whereabouts."

An international arrest warrant for Markham, who is described as white, six feet tall, of medium build, with green eyes and short, dark brown cropped hair, has been forwarded to Interpol in Washington.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Basingstoke CID on 0845 045 45 45.

* See The Gazette on Friday for the latest on this story.