UK UK - Carol Clark, 32, found dead and partially clothed at Sharpness Docks on Sunday 28 March 1993

[RobinCAL]

'Significant' new lead in 1993 Bristol murder inquiry

Police receive new information about Carol Clark, who was found dead in March 1993.

www.bbc.co.uk

Police say they have received "new and significant information" about a murder that happened 30 years ago.
Carol Clark, from Bristol, was found dead and partially clothed at Sharpness Docks on Sunday 28 March 1993.
The 32-year-old was last seen alive on the Friday night around Picton Street and Ashley Road in St Pauls, Bristol.
Unknown to her family she was a sex worker. She had left a note for her boyfriend saying she was going out to find work but she never came back

 

[dotr]

Police have reopened their investigation into Carol Clark's murder after receiving 'new and significant' information. Carol (pictured) was strangled and found dumped by a canal in 1993

She was found strangled alongside the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal in Bristol (pictured) in March 1993. Her neck had been broken in the fatal attack
March 28 2023

Police reopen 1993 murder case of woman strangled and dumped by canal

Gloucestershire Police launched a large-scale murder investigation after Ms Clark's body was found, but despite despite interviewing more than 3,500 people the case has never been solved.

www.dailymail.co.uk

''Officers from the South West major crime investigation team have now received information they say could unlock the case.''

Pictured: The scene of the discovery of Carol Clark's body. She was found in reeds and undergrowth close to the water at Sharpness Docks on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
''The investigator noted that the area where her remains were found was overlooked by the Severn Way.
Ms Clark was also found on the weekend of the 200th anniversary celebrations of the British Waterways, so it would have been 'very busy, with foreign-registered vessels in the dock,' he added.

'Maybe you were there at the time but travelled back home without hearing about the case until now. Whatever the reason, if you were there and now recall something please report it.''
''Anyone with information is asked to contact the force on 101 or online, quoting incident 264 of March 27.''

 

[RobinCAL]

6th April 2023

Carol Clark: Man bailed over 1993 cold case murder

Carol Clark, who was aged 32, was found dead at Sharpness Docks in March 1993.

www.bbc.co.uk

A man arrested in connection with the murder of a woman found dead 30 years ago has been released on bail.

 

[tes1984]

Unfortunately since last year, there haven't been any further arrests in this tragic case.

 

[tes1984]

A 64 year old man from Newcastle was arrested yesterday.

Man arrested on suspicion of murdering Carol Clark 31 years ago

Carol Clark, from Bristol, was found dead in Sharpness Docks in Gloucester in March 1993.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[tes1984]

Actually he was arrested earlier this month and released on bail.

So that's two men arrested in the past year, but not enough to charge either of them.

 

[Fede]

Here is another article about the new arrest: Police arrest man, 64, over unsolved cold case murder of sex worker 31 years ago

 

[tes1984]

The second arrested man was given bail until a date in June.
It's now mid July, yet no updates, and he certainly hasn't been charged.

 

[tes1984]

What does the chief detective mean when he states:
"I cannot say more at the moment without putting inquiries at risk"?

 

[tes1984]

The police ruled out foreign sailors, on the grounds that they wouldn't have had the money to pay Carol.

Not sure I'm following the logic. Wouldn't the killer (regardless of nationality) have just taken back his cash anyway after the murder?

 

[musicaljoke]

What does the chief detective mean when he states:
"I cannot say more at the moment without putting inquiries at risk"?

Often details of a case that are revealed to the public become inadmissible in court because they have been judged in the court of public opinion before they can be examined in court. Potential members of a jury might have come to a conclusion about those details without the necessity of having them tested. Therefore investigators are careful to keep details confidential until trial.

This level of care doesn't happen in the US, so it often comes as a surprise to people who are accustom to knowing all the details before the case is tried,

 

[tes1984]

During the original enquiry, the police examined links with three other murders.

Sharon Hoare, London in 1991.
Natalie Pearman, Norwich in 1992.
Karen McGregor, Glasgow in 1993.

Like Carol Clark, they were all sex workers. None of the cases have ever been solved. There is a DNA sample in the Natalie Pearman case, which offers some hope.

 

[Wurzel]

Here is another article about the new arrest: Police arrest man, 64, over unsolved cold case murder of sex worker 31 years ago

64 year old released - no further action: Suspect in brutal murder released 30 years after mum found dead in undergrowth

 

[jojojaja]

During the original enquiry, the police examined links with three other murders.

Sharon Hoare, London in 1991.
Natalie Pearman, Norwich in 1992.
Karen McGregor, Glasgow in 1993.

Like Carol Clark, they were all sex workers. None of the cases have ever been solved. There is a DNA sample in the Natalie Pearman case, which offers some hope.

I don't think they should rule out non sex workers. I just opened my first thread, the seemingly not exciting enough or loved enough to be paid much attention to, Christine McGovern, after reading about who many suspect killed her, Anthony Hardy, a man with severe mh issues and apparently a devil worshipper, I think he would kill non sex workers.
Sutcliffe did. I am sure many would look at opportunity rather than question if someone was actually a sex worker.

 

[Caring1]

New appeal for information on Carol’s murder. Her case was reopened 3 years ago.

March 27, 2026

“This weekend marks the 33rd anniversary of the day her body was discovered and so we wanted to use this opportunity to once again appeal for anyone who may have information which could help us.

Following a previous public appeal, a witness came forward to say they saw a woman matching Ms Clark’s description walking along Berkley bypass with two men.

In recent years, three men have been arrested on suspicion of her murder.
They were a 69-year-old man from Gloucestershire, a 48-year-old man from Lincolnshire and a 66-year-old man from Newcastle.

Detectives have since ruled the man from Newcastle out of their inquiry, but the two other men remain under investigation.

Police issue update on 1993 murder of woman found in Shaprness

Detectives are hoping for a breakthrough in the murder of a sex worker whose body was found near a canal more than 30 years ago.

www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk

 

[tes1984]

When was the 48 year old from Lincolnshire arrested?

He would have only been around 15 when Carol was murdered.

 

[Caring1]

When was the 48 year old from Lincolnshire arrested?

He would have only been around 15 when Carol was murdered.

All 3 were arrested since the case was reopened in 2023 so either 2023 or 2024. I don’t see a specific date for the 48 year old.

 

[tes1984]

All 3 were arrested since the case was reopened in 2023 so either 2023 or 2024. I don’t see a specific date for the 48 year old.

The other two arrests were all over the national media, but this is the first I've heard about the arrest of the 48 year old.

 

[tes1984]

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2026-03-27/police-investigating-cold-case-murder-33-years-ago-release-victims-final-note

A video report from the excellent Rob Murphy, who covers a lot of the cold cases around Somerset.

 

[rvlvr]

Interesting case. So Carol was last seen alive around 11.30pm on the Friday? The times on the note, I initially assumed they were ‘am’ (so, Saturday morning) but it seems clear from the handwriting that she’s written ‘pm’?