Search for Suzy Lamplugh Ends with No New Evidence Found
Met police leave house connected to prime suspect in Fulham estate agent's murder
Met Police hunting for the body of Fulham estate agent Suzy Lamplugh say that a search of premises in the West Midlands has now ended, with no new evidence being uncovered.
The house was once owned by the mother of convicted murderer John Cannan - the prime suspect in her killing.
25 year-old Suzy disappeared in Fuham in July 1986 and was declared dead, presumed murdered, in 1994. Her body has never been found.
Following the new search, police say: " Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service have now concluded their search of a property in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh.
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Unfortunately, no evidence was recovered. Suzy’s family have been informed of this outcome. Officers are now in the process of leaving the property.
"Since Monday, 29 October, forensic officers and detectives from the Met and West Midlands Police have been on site at the address.
"A warrant was sought to search the address after new information was received earlier this year about Suzy’s disappearance in 1986.
"The information, and the site, was assessed by specialist officers and experts before the decision was taken to go ahead with the search.
"The painstaking search of the grounds of the property has involved the excavation of parts of the garden and the rear of the property, and the use of ground-penetrating radar.
"Around 15 officers and staff from the Met and West Midlands Police have been involved, and an archaeologist was also on-site to assist.
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The Met would like to thank the occupants of the property for their cooperation and for accommodating officers throughout the search. The Met also thanks West Midlands Police for their assistance."
On July 28, 1986, 25 year-old Suzy left Sturgis' estate agency in Fulham Road - now the office of Chestertons - to show a house at 37 Shorrolds Road to someone described in her diary as "Mr Kipper".
The night her white Ford Fiesta was found in Stevenage Road, with the keys missing, but with her purse containing £15 still in the pocket of the driver's door.
After she vanished, officers examined thousands of lines of inquiry and conducted DNA testing on 800 unidentified bodies, but no trace of Suzy was found and she was officially declared dead in 1994.
After her disappearance, her parents Diana and Paul established the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and campaigned tirelessly to improve women's awareness of personal safety. Both were awarded OBEs for their work Diana in 1992 and Paul in 20015.
Sadly both have since died - Diana in 2011 and Paul in June this year - without knowing where Suzy had been buried.
Though no one has been convicted of her murder, police have named Cannan as the man they believe to be responsible. The former car salesman was convicted in July 1988 the murder of Shirley Banks in Bristol in October 1987, the attempted kidnapping of Julia Holman and the rape of a woman in Reading in 1986.
He was given three life sentences with a recommendation never to be released.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has released a statement saying: " The thoughts of everyone at Suzy Lamplugh Trust are with Suzy’s family today. 32 years after she disappeared, her case remains unresolved.
"Diana and Paul Lamplugh founded Suzy Lamplugh Trust in 1986 following the disappearance and later presumed murder of their daughter. Today we continue the work of Paul and Diana to reduce violence and aggression in society, supporting workplaces to help their lone and frontline workers be safer and feel safer.
" We also run the National Stalking Helpline, offering advice and support to anyone concerned about stalking.
" Today’s news reminds us once again of the continuing tragedy of Suzy’s story and the importance of employers taking responsibility for the personal safety of their staff."
You can read more about the work of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, including its involvement with National Personal Safety Day, coming up on 8 November, on its website.
Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Wood, who leads the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: " Suzy was a young woman when she was reported missing on 28 July 1986. She is presumed dead, and is believed to have been murdered. Her body has never been found, and no-one has ever been charged as part of the investigation.
"This has been a landmark case for the Met, both in terms of its scale and complexity, and because of the huge sense of tragedy of a young woman’s life being cut short and the uncertainty around what happened to Suzy.
"A total of 32 years have passed since Suzy’s disappearance; years that have undoubtedly been hugely painful for her family and loved ones, and our thoughts remain with them at this time. I would like to pay tribute to Suzy’s family for their support during the Met’s investigations into her disappearance, as well as for their courage and strength through decades of sorrow.
"This latest line of enquiry must have been traumatic for them, as well as bringing them some hope that they might find out more about what happened to Suzy, but they have always been supportive of our efforts to make progress in the investigation.
"The case remains open, and the Met remains committed to bringing Suzy’s killer to justice. We will continue to assess any new information that comes in."
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to call officers on 0207 230 4294 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
October 30, 2018