Solicitors have requested that the DNA of a Norwich murder victim to be retained as part of their inquiries into a nine=year old killing.

Honorato Alberto Christovao was found dead in a car park in Rose Lane, Norwich, earlier this month. Norfolk police are still investigating the murder of the 54-year-old who lived in nearby Parmentergate Court.

Now a group campaigning on behalf of Simon Hall, who is currently serving a prison sentence for the murder of Joan Albert in Capel St Mary, Suffolk, in 2001, have asked that possible connections between Mr Christovao and Mrs Albert's be investigated.

The Portuguese national is understood to have lived in Capel St Mary at the time of Mrs Albert's death. It is thought Suffolk police interviewed him as part of their original inquiry.

Now solicitors acting for 33-year-old Hall have approached Norfolk police asking for samples from Mr Christovao.

A spokeswoman for Hall's solicitors, Stephensons of Wigan, said: 'I can confirm we have spoken to Norfolk Constabulary, requesting they retain Mr Christovao's DNA.'

Hall's appeal against conviction by turned down by the Court of Appeal in January. Last week judges refused an application to send the matter to the Supreme Court for Hall to challenge their decision.

Hall's wife Stephanie, who lives in Ipswich, does not necessarily believe Mr Christovao murdered Mrs Albert. However, she thinks there may have been a connection with her death.

Mr Christovao lived in the village between 1999 and 2002. He was known to frequent the village pub, The White Horse.

Mrs Hall said: 'We have samples of blood and fingerprints from Mrs Albert's property and the knife which killed her. We want to see if they are a match with Mr Christovao.

'We don't necessarily think it is going to be fruitful, but we believe the samples belong to people he was with on the night of the murder.'

Norfolk police are also believed to be investigating links between Mr Christovao and the drugs world as a possible motive for the killing. Mr Christovao had a criminal record for a number of offences.

Det Chief Insp Neil Luckett, from the major investigations team, said: 'This investigation is still in its early stages and identifying the motive for the attack is a key line of inquiry. At this time I retain an open mind about why this attack took place.'

Last year Hall's supporters put up a �10,000 reward for information in their quest to overturn his conviction and find who they believe is the real killer.

Hall was convicted on the basis of fibre evidence found at the murder scene and at his parents' home in Snowcroft, where he was living at the time.