UK UK - Lindsay Rimer, 13, Hebden Bridge, Yorks, 7 Nov 1994

[Grouse]

DBM

 

[Grouse]

The sound engineer at the Trades club was Vince Robson (deceased 2005), a suspect in the unsolved murder of Tina Bell in Billingham, North East England, 1989. Robson was a friend of Billy Dunlop also a suspect in Tina's murder, the first man to be convicted ( murder of Julie Hogg) under double jeopardy law in England.
To weigh a body with a big rock & carpet & dump in the canal suggests the use of a boat & very likely a second person.
I've seen Christopher Halliwell mentioned in this case before, he was a keen fisherman & narrow boat owner & enthusiast with an extensive knowledge of British rivers & canals.

I have also speculated up thread about the use of a boat. It does appear there is monitoring of boat movement by the Canal and River Trust so this might have been checked out already by LE, but not sure what was in place back in 94/95

How we monitor boat movement | Boating

In my opinion though this could have been done using a car, the Rawdon Mill lock location is quite close to the road in a few places such as here (on older street view images that site looks to have been derelicted or occupied by caravans at certain times which would have made access easier). The rock was believed to have been taken from the side of the canal near to where Lindsay was found, so not necessarily carried far.

 

[sundaaaay]

I suspect this crime was committed by a young man (at the time), who was local and very familiar with the layout of area she was found. I think they were familiar with each other and she was offered a lift home, shortly after the last confirmed sighting of her leaning against a wall by the bus stop at the end of Crown Street.

I think she got in a car expecting a quick lift home, but he brought her further past her house, stopping at the abandoned warehouse where he forced himself on her. At some point she fought back and he panicked and strangled her.

It looks unplanned and opportunistic. I think the murder possibly happened inside a car, but because they did not keep her in the car to hide her elsewhere, they took a risk of getting caught carrying a body along a canal towpath. I wonder was possibly because it was their parent's car, or they had work early the following day. The method of using the stone to weigh her down makes me think he worked in construction, or something where physics are involved, as it required a good level of improvisation.

Where LR was found in the canal wasn't exactly a great hiding place, the Police admitted to having missed searching this section of canal by chance. A person unfamiliar with the area probably would have chosen the river as its more secluded and closer (to the warehouse). But this stretch of river whilst often deep in November, is very shallow in summer. But again only a local person would know this fact.

 

[Fake Protagonist]

I was in Hebden Bridge today and passed a shop with a poster in the door window showing Lindsay's photo and asking for information to solve her murder. I'm local-ish but had only heard about her case once online before today. I saw a short TikTok video about her a few weeks ago, by chance. If I hadn't then I wouldn't have known who she was when I saw her poster today. Then again, this did happen almost a decade before I was born.

RIP Lindsay. Far from forgotten. I seriously hope they find and convict whoever killed her someday. So sick that someone could even think of doing this to a little girl.

 

[Hustling01]

I dont the dna angle is poppycock the police do not share everything they have

 

[poirotoupierrot]

I think it really puzzles me about the murder of Lindsay that the police say there was no sign of sexual motivation. She was a young teenage girl and I don't know enough about the profiles of murderers who kill by strangling but don'y sexually assault. I don't even remember having read about a case similar to this. We know of serial killers who go after sex workers, or the horrific moors murders where children are targeted, but what's strange about Lindsay's case is the oddly domestic materials for hiding - carpet? near a canalside mill?! - combined with an industrial warehouse area. I wonder if these means more htan one person was involved, or at the very least a car. This does point back to the car mentioned by police being significant. I don't understand why they wouldn't use the reg to find the owner, but perhaps I've forgotten some crucial details since last looking at this case?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Man Arrested Over 1994 Murder Of Lindsay Rimer

Monday, 13 October, 2025Detectives have today arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of 13-year-old Lindsay Rimer in Hebden Bridge in 1994.The man was arrested this morning by detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team at an undisclosed UK prison, where he is...

www.westyorkshire.police.uk

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

Man Arrested Over 1994 Murder Of Lindsay Rimer

Monday, 13 October, 2025Detectives have today arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of 13-year-old Lindsay Rimer in Hebden Bridge in 1994.The man was arrested this morning by detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team at an undisclosed UK prison, where he is...

www.westyorkshire.police.uk

Wow!!

 

[wtiger]

John Taylor must be a candidate for this one imho

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1977737751135936768

 

[Grouse]

John Taylor must be a candidate for this one imho

Not him according to the Daily Express.

"a source close to the original investigation has told the Daily Express that Taylor is not the man arrested by West Yorkshire Police on Monday. The force is remaining tight-lipped about the prisoner’s identity for “operational reasons” though it is understood he is currently serving a significant sentence for another crime but is not a high-profile inmate."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2121237/John-Taylor-cold-case-Lindsay-Jo-Rimer

 

[bestie]

John Taylor must be a candidate for this one imho

I don’t think this case fits Taylor’s MO.

I will be amazed if it’s not someone that lived / lives in hebden bridge. Being local to it I know it’s a lovely little place and very popular, not sure what it was like back at that time though.

I can’t see this being an opportunist just because of the location of hebden bridge and how small it is. I suspect they knew Lindsay.

Hopefully this arrest will lead to some well deserved justice for this poor girl.

 

[Blurhf]

Hebden Bridge man jailed for 13 years for historic child sex abuse

Putting this convicted child sex abuser from Heptonstall, near Hebden Bridge, forward as a possibility. He's currently servng a 13-year sentence for historic abuse in the area. JMO

 

[rvlvr]

If the DNA that they have is definitely from Lindsay‘s killer then the killer surely can’t be Taylor as they’ve had his DNA on file for decades now. You’d think that’d also rule out Michael McGarry, mentioned above, given he was jailed 7 years ago?

 

[bestie]

I’m sure there was a new documentary last year about this case. I’m going to try find it and re watch. I seem to recall it saying the family moved to hebden bridge from Rotherham and they previously had a pub there.

So another obvious angle would be is there a link to her past life in Rotherham. Was someone still in touch with her and maybe meeting her.

The memorial garden that witnesses saw her leaning against a wall is right on the Main Street through hebden bridge so a very easy place to find and meet.

I wonder if a recent conviction of a previously unknown offender is aiding this case.

 

[Grouse]

I’m sure there was a new documentary last year about this case. I’m going to try find it and re watch. I seem to recall it saying the family moved to hebden bridge from Rotherham and they previously had a pub there.

So another obvious angle would be is there a link to her past life in Rotherham. Was someone still in touch with her and maybe meeting her.

The memorial garden that witnesses saw her leaning against a wall is right on the Main Street through hebden bridge so a very easy place to find and meet.

I wonder if a recent conviction of a previously unknown offender is aiding this case.

There is mention of Rotherham in this article (very badly written IMO - re Vince Robson "he was never charged and died in 2005, effectively debunking his involvement in Lindsay's murder." WTF?)

Lindsay Rimer murder suspects and theories debunked as detectives quiz prisoner

 

[Blurhf]

There is mention of Rotherham in this article (very badly written IMO - re Vince Robson "he was never charged and died in 2005, effectively debunking his involvement in Lindsay's murder." WTF?)

Lindsay Rimer murder suspects and theories debunked as detectives quiz prisoner

I think that's really badly written. I think they mean that because they're quizzing a current (alive) prisoner, then it's not VR, as he is dead. MOO

 

[Grouse]

I think that's really badly written. I think they mean that because they're quizzing a current (alive) prisoner, then it's not VR, as he is dead. MOO

You may be right, hardly debunked at this stage.

 

[poirotoupierrot]

The police had a DNA profile of the killer since 2016 now haven’t they? Chris Halliwell admitted another murder in 2011 - was he out on bail? But they say the killer is not ‘high profile’ so not sure it could be.

Whereas I theorised before that police had said there was no sexual motive, there are now increasing numbers of accidental killings during abusive sex acts, so strangulation alone doesn’t preclude sexual motive. Besides, it’s known that killers try many times before they do the terrible things they do.

This case didn’t add up for me - that’s why it was so hard - the sadness of it, and the difficulty of profiling a known killer who matched. I’d be interested to know how they got the DNA - the carpet? The car? And then potentially they must have to match it with a case they already have DNA for, as it’s less usual to request DNA in the UK for the purposes of conviction. So that suggests someone who has killed in a similar way - looking for girls (I thought Halliwell, among others), and someone who knew the area due to work (knowing the industrial site, potentially who was in the Trades Club or saw Lindsey leaving, and knew her) - all those things narrow it down slightly.

Reading over the news just now after discovering the arrest, there was a bearded man in that burgundy(?) who had been reported approaching young girls. It’s also been said Lindsey was very cautious so the person must have been known to her - in some way. The bearded aspect confused as I didn’t associate it with the people I’ve seen that it could possibly be.

We have to hope the DNA tests will do their work, and testimonies of witnesses will become more subtle and complete.

Terrifying and sad. Really hoping the family gets closure, if nothing else.

 

[ISarahlouise]

yeah I keep seeing John Taylor’s name be brought up in regard to this case but hasn’t he already been questioned? Seems strange to keep that anonymous when he’s already well-known and associated. I reckon this was done by someone she knew.

Couple notes -
I had tried finding info on Vince Robson. I know he was reportedly one of the last to see Tina Bell before she went missing/murdered, but I can’t find much apart from some tributes and mentions in articles to do with both. I looked on BritishNewspaperArchive and same deal. I saw people claiming and alluding to him being a predator but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of that correct me if I’m wrong.
That being said, seems like he was a bit of a local celebrity (using that term loosely). All very complicated with his various connections to young women/girls being murdered. That doesn’t mean anything about his guilt and character though. Just an observation.

This one is more irrelevant but does anyone know what happened to Lindsay’s brother? I see a lot of stuff from her sisters and mum and even dad but feel like nothing from her brother. They lived together right? I’ve seen people make pretty serious claims about him on social media so wouldn’t be surprised, if like the dad, he’s stepped away to avoid scrutiny.

I can’t get over the description of her living situation toward the end of this article. Does indeed seem like a strange environment for a young girl. Wonder if she met and trusted the wrong person on the outside - though i would think her friends would know something about that.

This case is just mind boggling despite it seeming rather straightforward. Hopefully there will be some good news soon.