Deceased/Not Found UK - Steven Clark, 23, disabled, Saltburn, Dec 1992

[Skigh]

So odd that this information is only coming to light now. Makes me think they don't believe the reports like stated above.

I wonder if people reported sightings of Steven directly to the police or if it was the Clarks telling the police people had told them they had seen him.
Perhaps Charles Clark went and limped around Redcar to try and impersonate Steven.

 

[Thelastleg]

Does anyone know when Stephen was reported missing. It's unlikely that someone would alert the Police that he was missing and then murder him when he turned up.

 

[RobinCAL]

I wonder if people reported sightings of Steven directly to the police or if it was the Clarks telling the police people had told them they had seen him.
Perhaps Charles Clark went and limped around Redcar to try and impersonate Steven.

That's a good point..it would change a lot if these reports came second hand rather than from a witness.

 

[ZaZara]

Does anyone know when Stephen was reported missing. It's unlikely that someone would alert the Police that he was missing and then murder him when he turned up.

If I remember well, Steven was reported missing on the evening of December 28 when he did not return after that walk with his mother.
I believe the police told the parents to wait 48 hours, since Steven was an adult. Parents went to search for Steven on the beach with lamps that same night. Initially, they were frustrated about the lack of cooperation from LE.

 

[trendsetter]

If I remember well, Steven was reported missing on the evening of December 28 when he did not return after that walk with his mother.
I believe the police told the parents to wait 48 hours, since Steven was an adult. Parents went to search for Steven on the beach with lamps that same night. Initially, they were frustrated about the lack of cooperation from LE.

I understand that this was the case. It looks as though the police didn't initially treat it as a serious missing persons case. Although he was an adult he was a vulnerable one. The police seriously messed up the first few days of the investigation and are now trying to catch up - nearly 30 years too late.

 

[Alyce]

Does anyone know when Stephen was reported missing. It's unlikely that someone would alert the Police that he was missing and then murder him when he turned up.

It was the evening/night of December 28. The parents said that they went back to the beach with torches and searched for him and then later, CC went out in the car and drove around the area.

 

[Alyce]

I wonder if people reported sightings of Steven directly to the police or if it was the Clarks telling the police people had told them they had seen him.
Perhaps Charles Clark went and limped around Redcar to try and impersonate Steven.

Very good point.

My thought was that the sightings might not have been definite enough. The usual well meaning but vague reports, which the police logged but then filed away.
If however, it was the parents advising the police about sightings, that could be very interesting.

 

[hettywainthropp]

New video footage released on 28th anniversary of disappearance

Steven Clark murder probe: Police release new footage on anniversary

 

[ZaZara]

New video footage released on 28th anniversary of disappearance

Steven Clark murder probe: Police release new footage on anniversary

Footage of alleged murder victim Steven Clark released by police

IMO the description alleged murder victim is appropriate.

 

[Alyce]

New video footage released on 28th anniversary of disappearance

Steven Clark murder probe: Police release new footage on anniversary

Thanks for the update Hetty.

I wonder how the person/s involved in Steven's disappearance are feeling today.

Just watched the footage - surely no way anyone could be mistaken if they had seen Steven. His walk is very distinctive.

 

[Alyce]

Interesting wording ..........


Detectives released a distinctive handwritten letter ....

Investigating officers described the 'precise' hand-written note as a 'significant' development and said the anonymous writer seemed to have exact details about Mr Clark...

Det Chief Insp Shaun Page ....... 'I believe the person who wrote the letter knew Steven was dead, and claims to know the person responsible.

'It is very precise so is one of the key lines of inquiry in this investigation.



Cold case detectives investigating murder of Steven Clark, 23, release video footage of him | Daily Mail Online

 

[Skigh]

Interesting wording ..........


Detectives released a distinctive handwritten letter ....

Investigating officers described the 'precise' hand-written note as a 'significant' development and said the anonymous writer seemed to have exact details about Mr Clark...

Det Chief Insp Shaun Page ....... 'I believe the person who wrote the letter knew Steven was dead, and claims to know the person responsible.

'It is very precise so is one of the key lines of inquiry in this investigation.



Cold case detectives investigating murder of Steven Clark, 23, release video footage of him | Daily Mail Online

It appears that the police believe this is a genuine letter rather than a hoax or sent maliciously.
The writer mentioned person rather than people so did one of them kill him and the other helped hide his body.
How did the writer know what happened? Why did they not write the letter earlier or speak to the police in person?
Did they over hear something,? Did one of them let something slip after having a few drinks? Friend,colleague or family???

 

[hettywainthropp]

Thanks for the update Hetty.

I wonder how the person/s involved in Steven's disappearance are feeling today.

Just watched the footage - surely no way anyone could be mistaken if they had seen Steven. His walk is very distinctive.

Yes I agree. The Police seem to be keeping this in the news, perhaps hoping for a confession maybe?

 

[Skigh]

Yes I agree. The Police seem to be keeping this in the news, perhaps hoping for a confession maybe?

I am thinking they are wanting more witnesses to come forward,either people who saw Steven that day or who saw something later that night. I think that the parents have kept to their story for so long they are not going to break and confess now.
If they are confident Steven's body will not be found they could be thinking it will be very difficult to actually charge them with murder.

I also wonder ,now the letter writer has come forward,how much additional information the police have been given.

 

[ZaZara]

It appears that the police believe this is a genuine letter rather than a hoax or sent maliciously.
The writer mentioned person rather than people so did one of them kill him and the other helped hide his body.
How did the writer know what happened? Why did they not write the letter earlier or speak to the police in person?
Did they over hear something,? Did one of them let something slip after having a few drinks? Friend,colleague or family???

Still wondering why the letter was put aside when it first arrived in 1999.

 

[Morag]

I believe that the person who wrote the letter was writing after being instructed by the person who had actual first-hand knowledge of what happened. In other words, for whatever reason, she/he did not want her/his handwriting to be recognized.

A person who attended school locally could be sure that a teacher or fellow pupil would be able to identify her/his handwriting. So while the information provided might be 100% accurate, the ‘witness’ didn’t want to be identified. And it took 7 years for the witness to make up her/his mind to tell someone what she/he knew.

And now that the writer has come forward, the witness’ identity will have been made known to the police.

It seems to me that the identity of the witness is fairly obvious.
JMO

 

[Skigh]

I believe that the person who wrote the letter was writing after being instructed by the person who had actual first-hand knowledge of what happened. In other words, for whatever reason, she/he did not want her/his handwriting to be recognized.

A person who attended school locally could be sure that a teacher or fellow pupil would be able to identify her/his handwriting. So while the information provided might be 100% accurate, the ‘witness’ didn’t want to be identified. And it took 7 years for the witness to make up her/his mind to tell someone what she/he knew.

And now that the writer has come forward, the witness’ identity will have been made known to the police.

It seems to me that the identity of the witness is fairly obvious.
JMO

I am sorry to say that the identity of the witness is not obvious to me.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I am sorry to say that the identity of the witness is not obvious to me.

Me neither. I'm only really familiar as such with the parents.

 

[elliefant]

The sister?

 

[Morag]

The sister?

...Occam’s razor...