The female body police found in bushes off Cowpen Road on Sunday was reportedly beaten, stabbed and then burned, according to Journal sources who also said the body was so badly decomposed that the autopsy will take a considerable amount of time to complete.

The autopsy will confirm the woman’s exact cause of death.

Sources close to the investigation also confirmed on Monday that the body is badly decomposed which will hinder the autopsy process.

“It could be awhile before we know,” the source confirmed.

“There are several tests that we have to do and we will also have to send them away to the lab in the United States for assistance so in terms of timing, I would say that it will be a few weeks.”

The Journal also understand that police investigators may have to resort to using dental records to indentify the deceased.

Police have confirmed that they have arrested a 28-year-old man in relation to the matter.

On Sunday, family members of 24-year-old Nyoshi Adderley gathered on Cowpen Road where the body was found.

Adderley reportedly went missing on February 22 around 10:00 a.m.

Reports are that she was last seen at her home on Scott Street off Rupert Dean Lane.

Police did not confirm that the body was Adderley’s but did say that it was a female.

Head of the Central Detective Unit (CDU) Superintendent Paul Rolle confirmed at the time that the body was naked.

The Bahama Journal understands that police have Adderley’s boyfriend in custody and that he lead police to the body which was located 1,200 feet behind an abandoned house in four foot deep grave.

Sources also confirmed that the scene was so gruesome that it left officers on the scene speechless.

A number of Adderley’s family members gathered at the scene late Sunday and were visibly shaken up and overcome by grief.

While they declined to talk to the Journal, a family friend said the family “knows” the body belongs to Adderley, who has a four-year-old daughter.