Peter Reeve, the man suspected of shooting Pc Ian Dibell and wounding another man on Monday before evading a night-long police manhunt, killed himself at his mother's grave, it has been revealed.
Reeve, 64, is believed to have killed Pc Dibell in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, as well as injuring bystander Trevor Marshall, before his body was found on Tuesday morning in a church graveyard in Writtle, near Chelmsford, miles from where the shooting occurred.
It has been reported that Reeve's body was found on the family plot in the All Saints Church, Writtle, graveyard, where his mother, Gladys, was buried.
The man was found with wounds to the head, before police told the public that, after an extensive overnight manhunt across the county, the threat to the public was over.
Peter Reeve, 64, who police were hunting for after the shooting
According to scaffolders near the church, a gunshot was heard at 8.30am on Tuesday morning from the graveyard, where Reeve's brother Terence is also buried.
Detectives from Essex Police launched a round-the-clock search involving armed response units and scores of officers after Pc Dibell, 41, was shot in Redbridge Road at around 3.40pm on Monday.
Essex Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle said a handgun had been used in the attack and Mr Reeve, who was "largely unknown to police", did not hold a firearms licence.
Police also paid tribute to Pc Dibell saying he "must have known he was in mortal danger."
"He paid the ultimate price for looking after the public," he said.
Forensic officers investigate the graveyard where Reeve was found
Mr Barker-McCardle described Pc Dibell as a "brave, respected and experienced neighbourhood officer" on Monday and said early indications were that he lost his life after deliberately intervening in an "extremely deadly situation".
The man who was injured but survived the attack was named locally as Trevor Marshall, 48. His ex-wife Pauline told reporters she had never heard of Reeve until last night.
She added: "We are so grateful to the police officer. He is clearly a hero who saved Trevor's life."
Officers added that members of Dibell's family were also in the police force. "I can't go into detail exactly who they are," they said. "But he is part of a very strong family, relationship with Essex police."
Police confirmed the murder investigation was ongoing.