Found Deceased Greece - Steve Cook, 20, Malia, Crete, 31 Aug 2005

[JerseyGirl]

another article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/24/body-british-student-missing-11-years-found-bottom-crete/

:rose: RIP Steve :rose:

 

[CoverMeCagney]

RIP Steve, so sad that his family had hope all this time. I wonder if there is any sign of foul play, I hope not.

 

[Rayemonde]

So sad that he has been there all this time

 

[Aluev]

According to an article I just read the shed nearby was recently built and was not there at the time of the dissappearance. The well was just covered with a few planks and it is possible that he fell by accident.

You can read the translated version here:
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=el&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=http://news247.gr/eidiseis/koinonia/eglima/ston-vretano-stiven-koyk-anhkei-o-skeletos-twn-maliwn.4545947.html&usg=ALkJrhjg0RfYR8aVoPlWpcrXeBPGvyrKUg

 

[Scorpio1]

RIP Steven your family will finaly have you home , closure for the family I dout as the family will still have so many un answered questions that will hopefully be answered over time,

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Has anyone read whether Steve should have had his wallet with him? You'd think so as he was on a night out, but news reports just mention the belt and the camera. So where's his cash?

 

[Scorpio1]

RIP Steve, so sad that his family had hope all this time. I wonder if there is any sign of foul play, I hope not.

i hope not , but foul play is possible , I will be keeping an eye on the local greek msm for updates, the Crete gazette are usely fact based but not to fast in doing updates, ,

 

[Scorpio1]

Has anyone read whether Steve should have had his wallet with him? You'd think so as he was on a night out, but news reports just mention the belt and the camera. So where's his cash?

No not about the wallet, just how much cash that he might have had around 30 to 40 euro and one bank card, it was mentioned on the website

 

[CoverMeCagney]

No not about the wallet, just how much cash that he might have had around 30 to 40 euro and one bank card, it was mentioned on the website

So if those things aren't present that might suggest foul play. Or he could just have lost them.

I'm erring towards something suspicious, the hut wasn't there in 2005 and the well probably had a lid on it. Even if it didn't the area would have been pretty quiet (I don't think we passed a single person when we were there) so if he'd needed a wee he could have just done it by the roadside, and I doubt he'd sleep anywhere near a graveyard! So why was he so far off track? Looking at where his hotel was it wasn't near open fields so he would have known he'd gone the wrong way / too far.

Deaths abroad in tourist areas concern me. I'm not saying the police will lie or are corrupt, but the very last thing they want to admit is that there's been a murder in holiday-land, doesn't attract the tourists. So often we hear of people dying abroad, Thailand springs to mind as an example, and it's chalked up to accident / suicide / drunken-ness, or someone (usually another foreigner) gets banged up for it, and you wonder whether justice has really been done.

 

[LorriB]

I agree Cagney- it does seem that tourist related deaths are more likely to be brushed under the carpet.

I am thinking misadventure on this one and that Steve survived the fall. Camera for flash and belt to try to hook something to climb out in desperation. I hope I'm wrong and he died straight away.

Horrible outcome but I am glad Steve's family are able to bury their son finally.

 

[Rayemonde]

Photos of the well here:

http://mobile.neakriti.gr/fullarticle.php?docid=1387768

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Ben Needham's family have posted a FB update about Steven, see 25th Feb (includes statement from Chris Cook)

:cry:

https://www.facebook.com/helpfindben/?hc_ref=SEARCH

 

[Littlegreenlady]

He was last seen talking to someone and asking directions back to his hotel, then he was seen walking in the opposite direction to his hotel. I wonder if the person who gave him the directions deliberately sent him in the direction of the well, knowing it was an isolated area. JMO

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Oh, in fact the FIND STEVEN COOK page has now been made public so I can post it:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/findstevencook/

And the full statement from the family:

Today we have learned that after over 11 years our much loved and missed son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend will be finally coming home to be with us once again. Whilst we always carried hope in our hearts that Steve would come back much sooner and once again be able to share in our lives the laughter, love and happiness that he brought in the 20 years he shone amongst us, sadly we will be bringing him home to say our farewells.

To bring Steve back home was always our goal, and as the years passed our hope never diminished. It is testament to the Steve we love that he would bring such fight and fortitude over such a long time in our search to bring him home. Not just from those who knew him but also from kind strangers across the world who shared our search, his plight, and provided support to a person, and family in need. Having a loved one go missing is a vacuum full of pain. If they are no longer with us then the idle mind imagines horrors of 'what ifs' in order to account for them being alive and not in touch. The 'not knowing' hurts but not as much as the thoughts that your imagination conjures in the dark hours whilst also having to try and quench the flames of 'what ifs', rumours and gossip that becomes accepted as fact. Knowing that Steve is now coming home is an end to all of that and the fog can lift at last. Our memories of him finally released without being accompanied by the horrific mental images, feelings and type of thoughts that can easily destroy you. In getting Steve home then we have truly found him again, and we he will now continue to live through the shared the memories of all that knew him.

We would like to extend special thanks to Cheshire Constabulary, in particular Gary, Matt, Janet, Kirsten, John and the entire team who worked on operation inkjet, and who, like us, never lost faith that one day we would bring Steven home.
We also have been fortunate to have had assistance from several selfless friends and volunteers over the years and we hope that they understand if we don't thank them by person in public in case they are contacted by less scrupulous media for comment.
We would also like to thank the Crewe Guardian, Crewe Chronicle, Sandbach Chronicle, Northwich Guardian, Liverpool Echo, Daily Mirror, City FM, Signal Radio, Radio Stoke, Global radio, The BBC, and ITV for being there from the start and always being there to publicise Steve's case throughout the past 11 years. In doing so they have always listened and reported accurately and always with the goal of bringing Steve home at the fore.

Finally, throughout the time that Steve has been missing there have been an average of 300,000 missing persons cases in the UK each year. People go missing for a variety of reasons - crime, abuse, slavery, and mental illness - to name just a handful. It affects all communities and people across all aspects of society. We never thought this would happen to us. To that end we urge anyone reading this, having been touched by Steve's case, to follow missing persons uk on social media, to raise local awareness of cases and lobby their local MP for continued funding - as we learned a few years ago - for every missing person it averages out at around £1 per case. So please get involved and help families who have been through the horror that we have. There are many families who have been close to and supportive of Stevens case notably Andrew Godsden, Luke Durbin, Damien Nettles, and Ben Needham so please help them in whichever way you can. Whilst our search is very much at an end there are many who continue to suffer.

Our focus now turns to bringing Steven home so that we can once again be close to him, and we request that our privacy is respected throughout this time.

Rest in Peace Stevie - You Will Never Walk Alone. xxxxxx

 

[CoverMeCagney]

He was last seen talking to someone and asking directions back to his hotel, then he was seen walking in the opposite direction to his hotel. I wonder if the person who gave him the directions deliberately sent him in the direction of the well, knowing it was an isolated area. JMO

Doubtful, it was a young British lady who was handing out fliers / drumming up business for a local bar.

 

[Littlegreenlady]

Doubtful, it was a young British lady who was handing out fliers / drumming up business for a local bar.

Ah I didn't realise that, thanks I'm obviously too suspicious!

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Ah I didn't realise that, thanks I'm obviously too suspicious!

Haha, we all are! I mean, it's not to say she wasn't involved but I think it's unlikely.

I suppose we have to wait on coroners report, shouldn't take too long to get a preliminary cause of death.

 

[Scorpio1]

http://www.cretalive.gr/crete/epestrepse-sthn-oikogeneia-toy-h-soros-toy-steven-cook





Today Stevie made the journey back home to the uk. Whilst not the resolution that we all fought for, he's finally home all the same, and ready to be back with his family and loved ones. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped Stevie and us all on this journey throughout the years. Sometimes you don't always get what you wish for but the power of belief takes you a long way; with a lot less hurt xxxxx ynwa and we didn't walk alone.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

An inquest into the death of Steven Cook began this past Friday.

http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/news/crewe-south-cheshire-news/inquest-opened-death-sandbach-man-13095635

 

[CoverMeCagney]

An inquest into the death of Steven Cook began this past Friday.

http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/news/crewe-south-cheshire-news/inquest-opened-death-sandbach-man-13095635

Full inquest will be held later this year, but in the meantime Steve's body has been released to his family for burial, 12 years after he vanished.

http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/...an_finally_lay_Steven_to_rest_after_12_years/