When her father spoke to the kidnappers he heard screams in the background – her last sign of life.

Her captors demanded a $1.8 million ransom for her release.

Seventeen-year old Anneli-Marie left her home last Thursday with her dog. She was going for a ride on her bicycle in the German city of Meissen.

Heading towards Autumn in the northern hemisphere it was a cool night, but at 7.30 at night it was still light. The dark haired 17-year old farewelled her parents and called for her dog.

She never returned.

When her parents set out to search for her they found her bicycle abandoned and no traces of her dog.

In a scenario more likely to be seen in a Hollywood movie they soon received a phone call – a ransom demand of 1.2 million euros or else their daughter would be killed.

Police have said that using her mobile phone the kidnappers called Anneli’s father to make their demands. In the background he could hear his daughter screaming. Her last signs of life.

The family whose last name cannot be released under German law were described by police as well-known. Her father a respected local businessman, police said they believed money was the kidnappers’ main motive.

As they negotiated over the weekend there was media blackout on the case – but on Monday police released a public letter to the kidnappers from Anneli’s parents: “Anneli, we miss you. We are with you.” it read.

They also told the kidnappers: “The kidnappers should know that we will fulfil the stipulated demands in order to be able to have our child back in our arms soon.”

As the public held their breath about yet another kidnapping case in Germany there was a tiny flicker of hope when Anneli’s dog was found in a nearby field.

More than 1,200 officers searched for the missing teenager.

But overnight came the news nobody wanted.

Anneli-Marie R. had been murdered with the body of the 17-year old found.

Two male suspects, a 39-year-old and a 61-year-old were arrested Monday after they were found by tracking mobile phones and matching one of the suspects’ DNA, which was found on the 17-year old’s bicycle.

His DNA had been entered into a national database when he was previously investigated for a sexual offense.

One is a 61-year-old precious metal dealer from Dresden and the other a 39-year-old unemployed chef from Bavaria.

“All of our hopes and prayers were not answered,” Dresden police spokesman Dieter Kroll said.

Police said that, during questioning, one of the suspects gave them information that led them to the location of the body.

Sky News reports that Anneli-Marie R. may have known the kidnappers who traced her through her Facebook page.

The abduction comes just two months after the 50-year-old mentally-disabled son of German billionaire Reinhold Würth was kidnapped.

Police believe the kidnappers may have lost their nerve after he was freed a day later, with no ransom paid.

In 2010 kidnappers murdered Maria Bögerl, a wealthy banker’s wife, even though a ransom of  €300,000 was paid. The kidnappers for that crime never been caught.

In 2002, Magnus Gäfgen demanded €1m for the return of a banker’s son – but he had already killed the 11-year-old.

Gäfgen was jailed for life after police tracked him down.

Police say they believe that Anneli-Marie R.’s kidnappers most likely killed Anneli as a way to conceal their crime, for fear that she would be able to identify them if she were released since they had not worn masks when they forced her into their car.

Investigators said that she was probably killed as soon as Friday.

When the kidnappers called her parents again on that day, the perpetrators refused to offer proof that she was still alive.

And now this family have received the news they were dreading.

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