UK- Two suitcases believed to contain human remains found, man seen acting suspiciously @ Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, 11 July 2024

[Inthedetails]

From the above link:

Detectives investigating the case say they believe the suitcases contained the remains of two adult men.

Whoa. That is a surprise. I expected more than one victim but was thinking it might be a woman and child. Not that any situation is better than another, of course.

No wonder the comment about how heavy the bags were.

What in the world happened??

jmo

 

[Elley Mae]

Witnesses described how the suspect, who arrived at the bridge in a taxi, was challenged after one of the ‘tatty’ suitcases was seen to be leaking blood.

He may have been stopped from throwing the heavy cases over the side and into the gorge 25ft below by the safety railings, reports suggest.

Despite officers arriving less than 10 minutes after staff raised the alarm, the suspect fled towards the Leigh Woods area, leaving the suitcase behind. A second was found nearby a short time later.

Man, 24, arrested after body parts found in suitcases in Bristol and London flat

The 34-year-old suspect was detained in the Bristol area in the early hours of this morning.

metro.co.uk

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Deputy assistant commissioner Andy Valentine, who is leading the investigation for the Met, said: “Over the last 48 hours we have been working extremely closely with colleagues from Avon and Somerset. This work leads us to believe the man we need to speak to travelled to Bristol from London earlier on Wednesday evening (10 July).

Clifton suitcases suspect came to Bristol from London, police say

A man is thought to have travelled to Bristol from London on the train, travelled to Clifton Suspension Bridge in a taxi and left the suitcases containing human remains on the bridge

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[Sarahlou]

I wonder if they are men who are known to be missing? Or if they've flown under the radar somehow.

 

[Inthedetails]

At least one of the suitcases was leaking blood. IMO that would have been noticed on a train. OTOH, the taxi driver likely didn't see it initially.

Were the suitcases also on the train, or just the man? Could he have traveled from London and then picked up the suitcases for disposal?

jmo

 

[indicolite22]

From the latest police presser, it appears that they know who the victims are, since LE is in the process of informing the relatives.

 

[Elley Mae]

A University of Bristol student, Reece Wright, told the BBC he had been walking near the bridge with his girlfriend on Wednesday evening.

“As we were walking along and got towards the other end, we thought we could see blood on the pavement of the bridge,” Wright said. “As we kept walking further along, we went down and turned and heard commotion behind us and we saw a cyclist chasing after a man who was just running away.

“He was making a lot of noise. They stopped and the guy managed to get away.”

Wright said one of the suitcases, which was blue, had two wheels broken off and “red stuff which we now know to be blood leaking out of the side near the zip, it was quite graphic”.

Remains of two men believed to be in suitcases found in Bristol

Police say inquiries suggest suspect seen on Clifton Suspension Bridge had travelled from London on same day

www.theguardian.com

 

[indicolite22]

Were the suitcases also on the train, or just the man? Could he have traveled from London and then picked up the suitcases for disposal?

jmo

Would there be a crime scene in London, if the men died in Bristol?

 

[Glos_CurtainTwitcher]

I guess not - but then why transport bodies all the way to Bristol?

Would there be a crime scene in London, if the men died in Bristol?

 

[Inthedetails]

Would there be a crime scene in London, if the men died in Bristol?

I don't know.

jmo

 

[Bickles]

Surely he wouldn't have travelled by train with the bodies in the cases? It would be difficult to get on a train with all that weight if alone, then you'd have to get off the train and manage both cases, potentially with blood leaking. Someone would have noticed and you'd then have the journey to the bridge to contend with.

 

[Glos_CurtainTwitcher]

Surely he wouldn't have travelled by train with the bodies in the cases? It would be difficult to get on a train with all that weight if alone, then you'd have to get off the train and manage both cases, potentially with blood leaking. Someone would have noticed and you'd then have the journey to the bridge to contend with.

Exactly - and Temple Meads to the bridge is not a quick / simple journey. Also the report of being seen getting into a taxi in Clifton village would mean I guess a bus from the station to Clifton and then the taxi to the bridge itself. Very odd choices of transport with so many risks of being seen, caught on CCTV or confronted.

 

[heartandsoul]

This just gets more and more odd.

 

[Ruthbullock]

Where is the pub the taxi picked up from compared to the station?

 

[rightsaidfred]

At least one of the suitcases was leaking blood. IMO that would have been noticed on a train. OTOH, the taxi driver likely didn't see it initially.

It could be that they put the remains in bin bags or equivalent within the suitcase, but part way through the journey the plastic failed and it started to leak blood.

It could even be as simple as the blood staying within while the suitcases were upright, but once the taxi driver laid them on their side in the boot they started to leak.

 

[Ruthbullock]

Bristol suitcase remains witness joked: 'What have you got in there, a body?'

The 61-year-old recalls how those involved in moving the two cases, which were "bursting at the seams", had acted casually, been in no hurry and even "chuckled" at times. He saw three people but is convinced a man pictured in a TV police appeal was not among them.

news.sky.com

He saw 3 people, but not the man pictured?????

 

[rightsaidfred]

Where is the pub the taxi picked up from compared to the station?

The pub is right next to the bridge, and miles away from Temple Meads station, which is the nearest station with direct trains to London

 

[Elley Mae]

Bristol suitcase remains witness joked: 'What have you got in there, a body?'

The 61-year-old recalls how those involved in moving the two cases, which were "bursting at the seams", had acted casually, been in no hurry and even "chuckled" at times. He saw three people but is convinced a man pictured in a TV police appeal was not among them.

news.sky.com

He saw 3 people, but not the man pictured?????

I have ti say that one man transporting two suit cases with two bodies would be very heavy.

 

[Glos_CurtainTwitcher]

Where is the pub the taxi picked up from compared to the station?

Other side of the city centre - a significant distance - the pub is said to be in Clifton village. Which is also odd since this is a very short walk to the bridge, yet they called a taxi. I guess too heavy to walk but again such a risk of raising suspicion by getting a taxi for such a short distance.

Unless like other commenters have supposed maybe they wanted to travel further in the taxi but the taxi driver became suspicious/worried and kicked them out by the bridge?

 

[Elley Mae]

It is believed the men were murdered and dismembered in Shepherd's Bush, west London, and the Metropolitan Police have taken over the gruesome investigation.

Clifton body parts manhunt moves to London

Police are probing whether two adult men were murdered and dismembered in Shepherd's Bush before being stuffed into suitcases and transported to Bristol

www.dailymail.co.uk