UK UK - Kate Bushell, 14, Exeter, Devon, 15 Nov 1997

[rvlvr]

Honestly, Barclay is a good shout. I had a look for a birth record for him earlier, but none I saw matched his age. Would be fascinating to know more about his movements in his younger years, he seems pretty adept at knowing how to live off the grid and we know a ‘vagrant’ was seen in the area at the time of KB’s murder.

The fact police couldn’t trace the guy stood by the blue vehicle in the lay-by has always seemed a bit off to me. It strikes me as the sort of place where only a local would have good reason to be - if that person had parked there innocently, for instance to walk their dog, they’d have surely come forward? If it was part of that person’s normal routine, someone would have noticed the vehicle there before? Someone would’ve been able to join the dots in a small community? But apparently, nothing.

 

[Sweeper2000]

No point. It's an active murder case and they won't just share that sort of thing upon request.

its done, worth a try at least. this is what i asked. "
1. Was any DNA belonging to the offender recovered at the crime scene?
2. If no such DNA was recovered, can you confirm whether this is still the case as of the most recent forensic review?
3. Was the large-scale DNA screening of over 5,000 local men conducted in the absence of offender DNA, or in an attempt to match existing forensic evidence?
4. Has more modern and up to date screenings, analysis or DNA capturing methods been applied on the evidence found at the scene? these could include Familial DNA Searching, Genetic Genealogy, Touch DNA / Trace DNA Recovery, Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA Analysis, Y-STR DNA Profiling, Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Sequencing, Epigenetic Markers & DNA Age Prediction (Emerging) and AI-Assisted Phenotyping & DNA Facial Prediction (Early stage)
5. Also why if no dna at all was found presumed to belong to the perpetrator was the 5000 samples from locals taken? "

have to wait and see.

 

[Sweeper2000]

Honestly, Barclay is a good shout. I had a look for a birth record for him earlier, but none I saw matched his age. Would be fascinating to know more about his movements in his younger years, he seems pretty adept at knowing how to live off the grid and we know a ‘vagrant’ was seen in the area at the time of KB’s murder.

The fact police couldn’t trace the guy stood by the blue vehicle in the lay-by has always seemed a bit off to me. It strikes me as the sort of place where only a local would have good reason to be - if that person had parked there innocently, for instance to walk their dog, they’d have surely come forward? If it was part of that person’s normal routine, someone would have noticed the vehicle there before? Someone would’ve been able to join the dots in a small community? But apparently, nothing.

i can find literally nothing on him. no employment records, no birth record, seemingly no convictions pre his last two, literally nothing. he must have been getting money from somewhere though. noted online purchases using a cards details so he is in the system somewhere. i thought his vagrant status was probably not likely a recent thing so maybe he did cruise down to devon in his earlier years and seek out his preferred rural habitats. the police saying he seemed capable of unprovoked violence really red flagged to me as well along with his choice of victims.

 

[mrC]

i doubt the killer left much dna he cut her throat from behind. That seems to be the only physical contact he made ifhe was wearing gloves, that wouldn't leave much dna

 

[tes1984]

There

i doubt the killer left much dna he cut her throat from behind. That seems to be the only physical contact he made ifhe was wearing gloves, that wouldn't leave much dna

Then why the mass DNA testing of 5,000 local men?

 

[Sweeper2000]

There

Then why the mass DNA testing of 5,000 local men?

scare tactic? the tests certainly suggest they have it or some, if the kiler thinks the net is closing he may be more likely to confess in hopes of leniency or other gain or may make mistakes like asking someone to lie for him, that person then tells the police. the police are still going with the "someone local knows something" approach though right? maybe that ties into dna maybe maybe?

“Maybe someone had suspicions about someone in their life back then and has been protecting them out of misplaced loyalty. It is time for those allegiances to change.”

MURDER APPEAL - Catch Kate Bushell's Killer - Devon & Cornwall Police

Devon & Cornwall Police need your help: - MURDER APPEAL - Catch Kate Bushell's Killer

news.devon-cornwall.police.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

I don't think they did find DNA at the scene or on evidence at the scene.

the following is from an article about DNA but a big part of it is on lyn bryants case in which a partial dna profile was found. back when these murders happened DNA science was in its infancy but major improvements have been made since.

"Reviews have taken place each time there is an advancement in the science. More new tests were undertaken in 2010 and options to test for DNA on material explored 2014."

DNA could hold clue to solving mystery Exeter murder

"We continue to work on any intelligence that is reported to us"

www.devonlive.com

why would they do new tests if they did have a dna profile?

 

[rvlvr]

If they didn’t have a profile to test the DNA samples against then did they get consent to keep the samples on file? Perhaps they were thinking that advances in science and technology would make obtaining a profile in future possible - so, get the samples while the case is very active and before people die, move away, etc?

As you say, could also have been a way to put the squeeze on the killer maybe - make it appear as if the net is closing in.

 

[Sweeper2000]

If they didn’t have a profile to test the DNA samples against then did they get consent to keep the samples on file? Perhaps they were thinking that advances in science and technology would make obtaining a profile in future possible - so, get the samples while the case is very active and before people die, move away, etc?

As you say, could also have been a way to put the squeeze on the killer maybe - make it appear as if the net is closing in.

tbh i think think the process normally means they destroy the sample afterwards, only thing here is that that would mean they did have a dna sample or the samples were collected purely to try and pressurise the killer. i think the presence of the orange fibres may also mean that he was wearing orange work gloves at the time maybe to try and hide either dna or fingerprints.

 

[Eastend Eagle]

i can find literally nothing on him. no employment records, no birth record, seemingly no convictions pre his last two, literally nothing. he must have been getting money from somewhere though. noted online purchases using a cards details so he is in the system somewhere.

Maybe he used to go by a different name MOO

 

[tes1984]

its done, worth a try at least. this is what i asked. "
1. Was any DNA belonging to the offender recovered at the crime scene?
2. If no such DNA was recovered, can you confirm whether this is still the case as of the most recent forensic review?
3. Was the large-scale DNA screening of over 5,000 local men conducted in the absence of offender DNA, or in an attempt to match existing forensic evidence?
4. Has more modern and up to date screenings, analysis or DNA capturing methods been applied on the evidence found at the scene? these could include Familial DNA Searching, Genetic Genealogy, Touch DNA / Trace DNA Recovery, Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA Analysis, Y-STR DNA Profiling, Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Sequencing, Epigenetic Markers & DNA Age Prediction (Emerging) and AI-Assisted Phenotyping & DNA Facial Prediction (Early stage)
5. Also why if no dna at all was found presumed to belong to the perpetrator was the 5000 samples from locals taken? "

have to wait and see.

I admire your enthusiasm, but they won't answer any of those questions.

It's an active murder case, so the police aren't going to discuss forensic evidence.

 

[tes1984]

Maybe he used to go by a different name MOO

Who are you talking about please? B******?

 

[Eastend Eagle]

Who are you talking about please? B******?

Yes Barclay

 

[rvlvr]

I posted about Barclay in the Anita Rose thread a few weeks ago and got this helpful reply, meant to share it here but it completely slipped my mind:

UK - Anita Rose, 57, walking her dog, police investigating suspected murder, Brantham, Suffolk, 24th July 2024'

The article in that post is behind a paywall so I’ll just paraphrase: he was born in Walton-on-the-Naze and was registered as living in a bedsit in nearby Frinton-on-Sea in 2002, which does seem to suggest he’s never strayed far from that corner of England, but who knows?