UK UK - Shelley Morgan, 34, stabbed, (Former Iowan), Bristol, 11 June 1984
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Shelley disappeared two days after 17 year old Melanie Road was found murdered.
The police think Shelley was killed on the same day (11th June) that she vanished.
Shelley was twice Melanie's age. She was 34 years old (although most of the press reports say she was 33).
The police think Shelley was killed on the same day (11th June) that she vanished.
Shelley was twice Melanie's age. She was 34 years old (although most of the press reports say she was 33).
Luwin
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Fresh appeal to find Shelley Morgan's killer 40 years later
Shelley Morgan was murdered on 11 June 1984 but her killer has never been found.
www.bbc.co.uk
Police have issued a fresh appeal to bring the killer of a mother-of-two to justice 40 years after she was murdered.
Shelley Morgan, 33, was last seen alive dropping her children off at school in Bristol on 11 June 1984.
Her remains were found in woodlands four months later, but the murder remains unsolved.
"Forty years may have passed but our resolve has not lessened," Det Insp Dave Marchant said.
Thoughts with Shelley's children, Charlotte and Liam, and with Holle, her sister today on the 40th Anniversary.
Sadly Shelley's parents, Frederick and Leona, and Nigel, Shelley's husband, have all passed away before seeing justice served.
I hope that Shelley's surviving family members can take some comfort that 40 years on, Shelley's murder has not been forgotten, and that there are people committed to seeing justice is delivered for them.
RIP Shelley.
Sadly Shelley's parents, Frederick and Leona, and Nigel, Shelley's husband, have all passed away before seeing justice served.
I hope that Shelley's surviving family members can take some comfort that 40 years on, Shelley's murder has not been forgotten, and that there are people committed to seeing justice is delivered for them.
RIP Shelley.
Renewed appeal issued for information on 1984 murder | Avon and Somerset Police
Shelley Morgan, 33, disappeared 40-years-ago today and her body was sadly found four months later…
www.avonandsomerset.police.uk
"It may seem difficult to imagine we can still solve this horrendous 40-year-old crime but with the advancement of forensic science and the passage of time we remain positive".
sarrickuk
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It's sadly the 40th anniversary of Shelley's murder today and according to a report in the Mirror newspaper from April this year, former Avon and Somerset police officer Julie Mackay believes that a local-to-Bristol painter and decorator by the name of Christopher Hampton could potentially be responsible. Through the rosette style stab marks found on both Shelley's body, and that of Melanie Road there is a tangible link. Hampton was convicted in May 2016 of Melanie Road's murder and Mackay believes him to be responsible for two others in the West Country during 1980's as well as Shelley's - Linda Guest in 1985 and Helen Fleet in 1987. All of them were sexually assaulted and stabbed multiple times and Hampton was working in the vicinity of each murder.
www.mirror.co.uk
Fears murderer may have killed three more women, says ex-police detective
Painter and decorator Christopher Hampton was sentenced to 22-years in prison in 2016 for the 1984 murder of 17-year-old A Level student Melanie Road
www.mirror.co.uk
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trendsetter
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Fresh appeal to find Shelley Morgan's killer 40 years later
Shelley Morgan was murdered on 11 June 1984 but her killer has never been found.
www.bbc.co.uk
"Several members of the public contacted us in response to that appeal and officers were subsequently able to rule out any significance of the postcards to the investigation."
So it seems that the postcards were something of a red herring.
By Antony Clements-11 Jun 2024
www.mirror.co.uk
Mum ShelleyAvon & Somerset Police / SWNS)
''Despite 40 years of investigations, the killer has never been brought to justice. Detective Inspector Dave Marchant, of the Major and Statutory Crime Review Team, said: "We will never give up trying to identify the person responsible for Shelley's murder and for leaving her two young children without their mother.''
Police have called on anyone who had a similar camera to Shelley in the 1980s to get in touch (
Image:
PA)
Police in fresh appeal to catch killer after mum was murdered 40 years ago today
American Shelley Morgan, 33, disappeared on June 11, 1984, and was found dead the following October, with police so far unable to find the killer who remains at large
www.mirror.co.uk
''Despite 40 years of investigations, the killer has never been brought to justice. Detective Inspector Dave Marchant, of the Major and Statutory Crime Review Team, said: "We will never give up trying to identify the person responsible for Shelley's murder and for leaving her two young children without their mother.''
Police have called on anyone who had a similar camera to Shelley in the 1980s to get in touch (
Image:
PA)
So the last confirmed sighting of Shelley was in Bedminster between 10am and 11am, at the post office where she collected the registered letter from her husband.
It's not been made clear what time she was expected back in Bedminster to meet her children.
Did her two children attend two different schools? I thought Liam went to a specialist school, and that was the reason the Morgans relocated to Bristol.
Was Shelley meant to be collecting both or one of them from school, or was she supposed to meet one or both of them at the bus stop, or did they usually make their own journeys home, and she had to be there to let them in?
IMO the children seem a bit young to have regularly been travelling back from school alone. They manage to make it back to the family home the day Shelley disappears, but it's really not clear is they travel back there together or independently.
If they do both attend the same school, then why in the Crimewatch reconstruction does Liam get on the bus, but Charlotte stays with Shelley?
It's not been made clear what time she was expected back in Bedminster to meet her children.
Did her two children attend two different schools? I thought Liam went to a specialist school, and that was the reason the Morgans relocated to Bristol.
Was Shelley meant to be collecting both or one of them from school, or was she supposed to meet one or both of them at the bus stop, or did they usually make their own journeys home, and she had to be there to let them in?
IMO the children seem a bit young to have regularly been travelling back from school alone. They manage to make it back to the family home the day Shelley disappears, but it's really not clear is they travel back there together or independently.
If they do both attend the same school, then why in the Crimewatch reconstruction does Liam get on the bus, but Charlotte stays with Shelley?
Grouse
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In the December 1984 Crimewatch programme linked upthread (post #69) it said a witness saw her actually get on the 354 bus at Bristol bus station. It then said she was seen to get off it at 11:15 at Long Ashton, and that she was waved at by a man in a white t-shirt in the blue van and was seen possibly to be giving him directions. Are you saying that information has now been superceded?
I wasn't aware of this case until today when I saw about it being 40 years ago today on the BBC website, and then came to see if there was a thread on WS. The case for Christopher Hampton being a suspect seems strong, presumably any connection with him and a blue van in Long Ashton area has been checked out.
RIP Shelley Morgan.
At some point post the December 1984 CW programme, the police became more confident that Shelley had boarded the 359 bus at Bristol Bus Station.
As far as I am aware, once the focus switched to the 359 there was no reference made or association made between that bus number and a blue van.
If there still aren't any accepted/confirmed sightings, then perhaps we should reconsider the blue van sighting.
The other original vehicles of interest were a large yellow lorry, and a green BMW.
Christopher Hampton is supposedly at work that day near Backwell, so I'm not sure what he would be doing at Ashton Court in the middle of his work day.
Shelley was apparently last seen between 10 and 11am in Bedminster; so what time would she have had to leave Bedminster by in order to get to Ashton Court by 11.15am?
Grouse
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Not sure from Bedminster and I can't find any current info about 354 (or 359 - where did that go?) buses, but the X6 bus takes 12 minutes from Bristol bus station to Long Ashton (which was the place mentioned in Crimewatch). Bedminster to Long Ashton via Bristol centre doesn't make sense though.
If it was Long Ashton that's only about 2.5 miles from Backwell, so I guess it's possible he was there at 11:15 am, maybe if he nipped off somewhere on an errand in the van. A lot of self employed trades people I've known do tend to do that sometimes during a job - maybe have a quick trip to price another job or pick up supplies.
So I think it's feasible he encountered Shelley and got her to get in the van, then it's really not far from the location wher the body was found, back to Backwell.
Christopher Hampton was working in Clevedon, which was about 25 miles from his flat in Bath.
Ashton Court and Leigh Woods are both around 12 miles away from Clevedon, so that seems fairly far for him to travel for an errand. Perhaps he had no supervision at work and went off on the prowl.
There's no confirmation that Hampton was driving a van in 1984. Perhaps he had access to a company van. In June 1984, Hampton had a medium size Ford car.
Ashton Court and Leigh Woods are both around 12 miles away from Clevedon, so that seems fairly far for him to travel for an errand. Perhaps he had no supervision at work and went off on the prowl.
There's no confirmation that Hampton was driving a van in 1984. Perhaps he had access to a company van. In June 1984, Hampton had a medium size Ford car.
Both the 354 and 359 originated at Bristol Bus Station.
The 354 went to Nailsea via Long Ashton, Backwell ......
The 359 went to Portishead via Abbotts Leigh, Pill .........
From what I could tell looking at this previously, both the 354 and the 359 took the same route from the bus station as far as the A370/A369 junction. The 354 continues to travel on the A370, but the 359 takes the A369.
Logically, if you are heading to Leigh Woods you would take the 359, as that route takes you past the woods.
Grouse
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OK, thanks. I'm getting a bit confused now, you said earlier he was supposedly working near Backwell not Clevedon?
I think I've read through all this thread now but maybe I've missed some things. Do you have any links for the info about where he was working, lack of confirmation about the van etc?
Likewise @Wurzel I'd be interested to know where the 359 bus reference comes from and how the very explicit references in Crimewatch to witness sightings regarding the 354 bus and Long Ashton have been discounted.
Thanks
Hampton was working in Clevedon which is about 6 miles from Backwell. Fairly close considering it was a 25 mile journey from Bath.
The information about his work, vehicle etc is in Julie Mackay's book and recent interview with The Times.
Rolypolyoly
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Possibly as the crow flies, but driving from Backwell to Clevedon takes you through Nailsea and Tickenham, and then it would depend where in Clevedon he was working, it's not a hugely time consuming drive but it's probably 15 to 20 minutes, and more if he was working near the seafront.
It may have been slightly different in the 80s though, with less building and less traffic.