A month after 24-year-old British teacher Lauren Patterson was reported murdered in Doha, her hometown’s medical examiner has opened up an investigation into her death.

According to the BBC, a coroner in Kent has examined her remains, but was unable to determine how she died.

In the UK, coroners typically hold an inquest into the deaths of British national based abroad if they are violent or unexplained.

What happened

Patterson went missing last month after leaving late one weekend night from La Cigale hotel. Friends said she was supposed to have been driven home by an acquaintance.

A day after Patterson’s mother and boyfriend launched an online campaign to find her, they announced that she had died. It later emerged that the teacher had been killed, and that her body had been burned and left in the desert.

A falconer found the body, and police have arrested two Qatari men in connection with her death. But no court dates have been set yet. A criminal lawyer told Doha News that it could take up to six months for a hearing to be scheduled while the court conducts its investigation.

Previously, Patterson’s mother, who flew to Doha last month, had said:

“I will be staying in Doha for as long as it takes to see that justice is done for my daughter.”

But British Ambassador to Doha Nicholas Hopton told Doha News that Patterson’s family has since returned home.

Meanwhile, the Kent coroner has been able to identify Patterson’s body through DNA, but said she will postpone her inquest until February, after hearing more from Qatar officials, BBC states.

Thoughts?