A BLOGGER whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in her garden was strangled, a post-mortem examination found.

Laureline Garcia-Bertaux was reported missing on March 4 after she failed to show up for work at PR firm Golin.

The 34-year-old was discovered two days later buried at the bottom of her garden where she lived with her rottweiler and husky dogs in Kew, South West London.

The post-mortem examination gave cause of death as “consistent with compression of the neck”, Scotland Yard said.

Results on a toxicology test are still pending.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw or communicated with Laureline from March 2 to March 6 to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, who leads the murder squad, said: "This may have been via phone calls, texts messages, WhatsApp or via any other social media platform.

"Laureline was known to local people as she walked her two dogs each day."

The producer was seen having a "heated row" with a mystery man just hours before she was found buried in a shallow grave.

The blogger, had her arms crossed as she spoke with the middle-aged man in the garden of her home in Kew on Sunday morning.

The next day, Laureline was reported missing by colleagues after failing to turn up for work at PR firm Golin.

She was later discovered buried at the bottom of her garden.

French-born Laureline had been due to meet a "charismatic vet" on Sunday night for a date after signing up to Tinder, Bumble and The Inner Circle.

A neighbour told Mail Online: "I didn't take much notice at the time. But she had her arms folded across her chest.

"Police said I might have been the last person to see her alive. She was having an animated conversation."

MURDER MYSTERY
Murder cops are now probing the film producer's love life after she split with her Russian boyfriend Kiril Belorusov last year.

Laureline was last seen alive on Saturday night at a Sainsbury's a few streets away from her rented home.

A hunt has been launched to find her killer but there have been no arrests.

Her sister Samantha Collot has now issued a desperate plea for information on Facebook.

She said: "Missing alert... the police now need all the people who could have had [seen] Laureline between Sunday night and Monday morning.

"We can bring all of this info together, even if we are not sure!!! It is what Facebook is for!!! Thank you all."

Her pal Daniel Hughes, 27, said he found it "a bit suspicious" Laureline was due to meet for a date before her murder.

DATE WITH 'CHARMING VET'
He added: "She met him in a shop or something like that and then he must have chatted to her then and they arranged a coffee on Sunday evening.

"We don't know if she went out to meet him or not because we don't know what the point was when that happened."

Mr Hughes also said he was creeped out because he had been in the garden where Laureline's body was discovered before.

Paying tribute, he said: "She's tall, got a lot of presence. Always very friendly, very talkative, would never have hurt anyone.

"Got a lot of confidence and passion, a lovely lady. She had a lot of friends as well, including me."

Laureline, who blogged on lifestyle and fashion, dreamed of becoming a film-maker, had worked at the Discovery Channel and ran a creative video production firm called Black Balloons Studios.

Last year, she assisted on short film Gerry, starring Joan Collins, who has since paid tribute to Laureline.

The film legend, 85, said: "I'm shocked by the horrifying news. Laureline was passionate about film. I enjoyed our collaboration and thought she had a great future."

Producer and actress friend Hester Ruoff described Ms Garcia-Bertaux as "an amazing individual" and said they had been due to start filming on a new movie next month.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.