Bob Woolmer's killer used twisted towel to throttle him, which explains the absence of any marks on the neck of the slain Pakistan cricket coach, according to local media reports.

'The Sun' claimed that Woolmer was strangulated with a towel, or ligature, in what seemed a mafia-style killing probably to prevent the coach from blowing the whistle on match-fixing.

The tabloid quoted Deputy Commissioner in Jamaica Police Mark Shields saying that it was "common sense" that something was used to prevent the throat being marked.

• The Bob Woolmer murder story

"If it is some form of manual strangulation and there are no physical marks, there may have been something between the hands of the assailant and the neck. That's as far as I will go," Shields said.

He also confirmed that towels were found in the room. The fact that the killer wanted not to leave any mark suggests it was a well-planned murder.

Shields reiterated that it was a murder case but added that he "had to keep an open mind" and "had to be led by the scientists".

Forensic pathologist Ere Seshaiah, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, said in his report that Woolmer had died of "asphyxia caused by manual strangulation".

Shields said the chambermaid who discovered Woolmer's naked body in a pool of his own vomit at Kingston Pegasus hotel was traumatised. The report claimed she was taken back to room 374 where Woolmer was murdered.

Police were also probing reports about a match-fixer -- linked to Dawood Ibrahim -- who reportedly was thrown out of Woolmer's room after a spat with the coach.

• The Bob Woolmer murder story