Police investigating the discovery of human remains in a Sudbury river have revealed the victim was found with almost 30 lacerations to the skull.
Suffolk police's Detective Superintendent Mike Brown appeared on BBC One's Crimewatch Live on Friday morning to appeal for information surrounding the murder probe that was launched late in the summer of 2020.
The investigation started after a number of black bin bags containing human bones were found in the River Stour, near Meadow Gate and Croft Bridge on August 27.
During the show it was revealed that the victim, who was believed to be between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 9ins, white, in their late 50s to early 60s, of athletic build, and with blonde hair at birth, had 27 lacerations to his skull, believed to have been caused by a bladed weapon.
However, it is not believed this was the man's cause of death.
Det Supt Brown said on the show it is believed that the man died between 2008 and 2012, but that the bags had been in the river for about seven to 10 days before they were spotted.
He said the man's arms were found in one black bin bag, with a boots carrier bag full of stones also inside the bin bag, and his legs were found in a second bag along with several yellow air fresheners.
A further search of the river found another bag with bone fragments and teeth, but DNA testing found no match on the national DNA database or missing person's register.
The bags appeared to have been dropped into the river from close to the bank rather than thrown into the centre, and were weighed down with 'Eastwoods Fletton' bricks, along with decorative stones.
Bags containing bricks and stones found in the black sacks included a white Thing-Me-Bobs bag from between 2013 and 2015, a Boots bag from around 2012 and generic blue carrier bags – typically used by market traders.
The air fresheners found in the bags were the kind typically for commercial use in toilets. These were found to have been a business-to-business janitorial product made by Jeyes, at a factory in Mold, North Wales, and became obsolete around 2011.
Det Supt Brown, the senior investigating officer, said: “We have been exploring every avenue to help us to identify our victim, which is the key to unlocking this case.
“At this juncture - more than three years on from the discovery and still not knowing who the victim is – we are now disclosing this more detailed information about the remains, and the items they were found with.
“Our leading hypothesis is that this individual is very likely to have been the victim of organised crime. The way the body was dismembered – and the fact that the hands are missing – bear the hallmarks of being done very deliberately and by people who knew what they were doing.
“It would appear the remains had been stored in dry airless conditions for a number of years, before someone decided they needed to be disposed of.
“It could be that the people responsible for his death took the decision to move the remains, or that someone discovered them and not wanting to engage with the police, decided to simply dispose of them."
Police are still appealing for information in the case, including anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour near the river in the days or weeks before the discovery.
Det Supt Brown added: “If you knew a man aged in his late 50s or early 60s at that time, who suddenly disappeared without a trace (you might think he had simply moved away), then please contact us.
"We remain fully committed to solving this complex case and obtaining justice for the victim and any family he may have had."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here