Amanda Knox told by Meredith Kercher's family to stay away from her grave

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Miss Kercher, 21, was killed in house she shared with Miss Knox in 2007
American served four years for her murder before being released in 2011
She now says she'd like to meet the Kerchers and pray at Meredith's grave
But sister Stephanie insists former Leeds University undergraduate has ‘the right at least to rest in peace’

Published: 19:39 EST, 13 September 2015 | Updated: 01:47 EST, 14 September 2015

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The family of murdered British exchange student Meredith Kercher have warned Amanda Knox (pictured) to stay away from her grave

The family of murdered British exchange student Meredith Kercher have warned Amanda Knox to stay away from her grave after the American student was cleared of the brutal 2007 killing.

Her sister Stephanie Kercher said the former Leeds University undergraduate has ‘the right at least to rest in peace’.

Miss Kercher, 21, was found half naked and with her throat slit in the house she shared with American student Miss Knox in November 2007.

Miss Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito served four years for the murder before being freed on appeal in 2011, and were definitely cleared in March this year, after five contradictory trials and verdicts.

Last week Italy’s Supreme Court published their reasoning for the U-turn, saying that the prosecution’s case against the pair was full of ‘stunning flaws’. They said there was no biological evidence linking the pair to the murder scene.

Speaking after the judge’s explanation was published, Stephanie Kercher told of her family’s renewed pain at discovering that there will be no justice for Meredith.

She told Italian news site Quotidiano.net: ‘We are a family destroyed by pain that is trying to find a way to keep going and remember Meredith.

‘The hardest thing that we have had to face is that there will be no conclusion, not having an definitive ending to this tragedy.’

Miss Knox has said that she would like to meet the Kerchers and to pray at the murdered student’s grave.

But Stephanie Kercher said the family had ‘no reason or need’ to meet Miss Knox and warned that the pair should not visit her sister’s resting place.

But Stephanie Kercher (pictured, left, with mother Arline) said the family had ‘no reason or need’ to meet Miss Knox and warned that the pair should not visit her sister’s resting place

She said: ‘I have said that given the circumstances those two should not visit Meredith’s tomb.

‘For us it is a place to meet and remember the happy moments that we spent with her. To go against our personal wishes would be disrespectful and unacceptable. Meredith should have at least the right to rest in peace finally.’

Stephanie Kercher said the family found it ‘incredibly difficult’ to understand how the Italian justice system had failed to give them answers.

‘After eight years we are still not close to finding out the truth about what went on that night,’ she added.

She said there were still doubts over what happened that night as the judges said that Knox and Sollecito were present at the house but not at the scene of the crime.

A third man, Rudy Guede, is serving a 16-year-sentence for the murder.