Found Deceased UK - Richard Okorogheye, 19, Oxford Student, Ladbroke Grove, West London, 24 Mar 2021

[MsMiniSleuth]

DBM

 

[CrazyLilBlondie]

Possibly seeing an acquaintance. I saw it up thread from an authoritative source that the taxi left from a residential address in W2. Also I haven’t seen that it’s a black cab or anything, so it could have been Uber still.

The Police statement said TO a residential address

Further enquires have established that Richard then took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton, Essex.

 

[Spyder84]

The Police statement said TO a residential address

Further enquires have established that Richard then took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton, Essex.

JMO and this is pure speculation, but could this be some sort county lines initiation thing... The timings are not making a lot of sense, the 2 locations are even more peculiar. There's a 2 hour or so period where he's location is unknown, then he randomly turns up in a woodland area, looking like he was preparing to be involved in some sort of action, I am NOT insinuating anything criminal in RO's actions, but at this stage, to me, it's looking like this could be some sort of coercion, or like his mother says, grooming, and that is a strange term to use in context of a 19 year old uni student....

 

[tedtink]

I wonder if it was a genuine taxi.

 

[JuicyLucy]

This journey to Loughton was strangely specific and apparently planned in advance. I'm guessing that doing it in two steps was about trying to ensure no one knew where he'd gone - otherwise why not use an uber or a minicab from home. By taking the bus to Paddington, he perhaps thought he could take a cab relatively anonymously from the rank. We know that his wallet and bank cards were home, so either he had another account no one knew about, or he paid (a lot of) cash, or he paid with his phone. (I know it was turned off by 10, but for a journey that long he may have been asked to pay in advance.) What was in Loughton? I notice the police have carefully refrained from giving the address he took the cab to, which may or may not be the road he was last seen on, but I think they must have a fair idea of both where he went and why/to see whom. The grooming scenario doesn't really ring true for me, given he was last seen alone, but I'm wondering if he made contact on the web with someone who could source something he intended to harm himself with. Given that he hasn't been seen since, I'm afraid I think he may have been successful. I hope there's news soon.

JMO

 

[tedtink]

We know that his wallet and bank cards were home, so either he had another account no one knew about, or he paid (a lot of) cash, or he paid with his phone.

Or the taxi driver was an 'acquaintance', a 'friend', or was free of charge.
jmo

 

[TheTruthWillOut]

Another missing person case that is hard not to think the worst about...

The latest CCTV is from the pub itself it looks like and you see Richard walking past the pub with the postbox in the background that is on the corner of Smarts Lane/High Beech Road. Epping Forest itself literally starts just out of shot of this CCTV where he is heading. While it is hard not to think the worst I do wonder about him conscientiously wearing a mask in all the CCTV so far. Would you do that if you plan to harm yourself?

 

[JuicyLucy]

Or the taxi driver was an 'acquaintance', a 'friend', or was free of charge.
jmo

No, I don't think I see it that way. The police have been specific about the fact that he took a taxi, not 'got into a car'.

I think he wanted to travel anonymously and thought he was avoiding CCTV, which he couldn't have done if he'd taken public transport. The camera that caught him in Loughton was a security camera on a pub, which he could not have predicted.

Google streetview:
Google Maps

I don't think anyone else is directly involved.

JMO

 

[ApparentlyInDenial]

The Police statement said TO a residential address

Further enquires have established that Richard then took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton, Essex.

I stand corrected - thank you

 

[ApparentlyInDenial]

DBM

 

[Spiderplant]

[QUOTE="TheTruthWillOut, post: 16723359,While it is hard not to think the worst I do wonder about him conscientiously wearing a mask in all the CCTV so far. Would you do that if you plan to harm yourself?[/QUOTE]

I think the mask actually provides more anonymity and you stand out less by wearing a face covering.
Plus he would have had limited options if he was using public transport-

But I appreciate given his medicinal condition it could appear to be a contentious decision. JMO

 

[tedtink]

No, I don't think I see it that way. The police have been specific about the fact that he took a taxi, not 'got into a car'.

I think he wanted to travel anonymously and thought he was avoiding CCTV, which he couldn't have done if he'd taken public transport. The camera that caught him in Loughton was a security camera on a pub, which he could not have predicted.

Google streetview:
Google Maps

I don't think anyone else is directly involved.

JMO

I see it that way too and wasn't suggesting he'd got into a car.
I believe he got into a taxi but question whether it was a genuine taxi.
The Police hasn't confirmed either way.

If you're travelling in a genuine taxi, then that's not anonymous imo.

 

[Skigh]

Or the taxi driver was an 'acquaintance', a 'friend', or was free of charge.
jmo

I imagine the police have traced the taxi driver,either from cctv ,or the taxi driver has come forward to say Richard had been a passenger.

 

[pokerowan]

He took a bus but didn't bring his card or Oyster card, so he must have paid with his phone - also not very anonymous. It's possible Richard wanted to fly under the radar, but I don't think he intended to be invisible.

 

[Winterbells]

I think he means RO could have got the Oxford Tube coach back to Oxford.

Ahh, sorry. Didn't know about this service.

 

[Winterbells]

CCTV of Richard Okorogheye.png

Can anyone work out what he is putting in or taking out of his bag? He seems to be looking over his shoulder in the last picture.

I showed it to my daughter who said 'It looks like a takeaway bag - like he's eating something - that's not his side bag. And he's glancing backwards before crossing the road'.

 

[ApparentlyInDenial]

I showed it to my daughter who said 'It looks like a takeaway bag - like he's eating something - that's not his side bag. And he's glancing backwards before crossing the road'.

She's a sleuther in the making! Very good obs.

 

[Coconutty]

He might have got a bus and then a taxi from the rank to make sure he wasn’t traced too quickly.

It’s interesting that he was near Paddington as HKP said that’s where the trains to Oxford go from. I know most students are currently paying for student accommodation at the moment even though they can’t live there, so it’s very possible he’s got a room there too.

(When university went back in September they all moved into their student accommodation and then had to return home, although the accommodations wouldn’t cancel the contract so most are still paying for them while not living there.)

I so hope he’s okay, the forest fills me with dread. He could have just picked a random street near the edge of it to get a taxi to, so as not to alert the driver that he might be having dark thoughts.

JMO

 

[Skigh]

I showed it to my daughter who said 'It looks like a takeaway bag - like he's eating something - that's not his side bag. And he's glancing backwards before crossing the road'.

Interesting observation about it being a takeaway bag.

I do not think he is positioned correctly for crossing the road.

 

[proclee]

DBM