[31], The new investigation, led by Detective Dai Malyn, made a number of arrests. Her mother was a member of Malton Town Council and served a term as mayor of the town. She had "a number of covert sexual relationships with men, some of whom were married before she disappeared". As time went on, Claudia's family and friends never gave up appealing for information to help find her. That is an awfully long time to carry such a burden of guilt. She did not report for duty. That Lawrence had left with a new lover or to take up a new job or merely to take a break. In 2007 Lawrence purchased a terraced cottage in the York suburb of Heworth, situated about three miles from her place of work. There were also swabs taken from her house years later (think the case was reexamined in 2013). Podcast Coming Soon!! The chef, 35, failed to arrive for work at York University on 18 March . Halliwell killed O'Callaghan two years to the day later on March 18 2011. In another sinister bit of information on this case, every year since 2009, someone has been placing a wreath on Claudia's doorstep. [44] However, Razzell's husband was convicted of her murder and her family have stated that they have no doubt over his guilt and conviction. I went to University in York and I think I was in my final year when she went missing. The force said members of the public were still coming forward with information. For 12 long years, the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence has remained one of Britain's most perplexing unsolved mysteries. The next day, the 35-year-old never made it to work at 6am, with the chef also not heading to her local pub that evening. I have much less to do now and am supposed to work from home at least until the end of the quarantine anyway, so reading all this stuff about mysterious disappearances and discussing it with my gf seems somewhat interesting to me, at least its definitely not just a waste of time as I consider it self-development to some extent. Claudia Lawrence was last seen nearing her home in Heworth, York, on the afternoon of 18 March 2009, as she returned from her work as a chef at the University of York. She also fails to attend work. You will notice that in this post I talk about Claudia very much in the present tense this is because I feel that it would be disrespectful to talk about her in the past tense. I have no idea what happened to her, definitely foul play but where? Finally, the most comprehensive, informative and very detailed article can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/what_happened_to_claudia , its pretty long and might probably seem a little bit hard to read to some people, however, its definitely worth reading because it tells us about Claudias childhood and social circle as well as her job. A fresh appeal for answers about missing Claudia Lawrence has been made on the eve of the anniversary of her disappearance. They have endured unrelenting anguish and trauma throughout this time. Could they not go with that, then look into people who live or have frequented the location? She had previously worked in a few pubs as a chef but the late hours began to take their toll on her so she was excited when she landed a job as a chef at the University of York. Detectives soon began to favour this explanation. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A fresh appeal for answers about missing Claudia Lawrence has been made on the eve of the anniversary of her disappearance. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? His clients get results due to Lawrence's dedication to creating a tailored plan that works for them. But in January 2017 officers said they were scaling back the probe, leaving her mum devastated that she may never find out what happened to her daughter. It was considered likely that her killer was a local man known to her. Claudia Lawrence was last seen on the night of March 18 2009. Claudia was last heard from on March 18, 2009, with reports that she was last seen walking towards her home on Heworth Road. Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox the new senior investigating officer on the case, said he believes several people know, or have suspicions about, what happened to the 35-year-old when she went missing in York in 2009. 3. I do hope there is a positive outcome though the length of time suggests not.seems there's alot to untangle. "Lawrence began relationships with several men whom she met while drinking in the pub, and her father admitted that the liaisons had created 'awkward situations' with her lovers' partners". [22] In October, NYP revealed they were looking for the driver of a "rusty white van" who was seen trying to talk to women on Lawrence's route to work in the days before she disappeared. [7], The independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers offered a reward of 10,000 to anyone providing information which would lead to the arrest and conviction of any person linked to the disappearance. I don't think Christopher Halliwell is linked to this case at all. And so her family has been left waiting, hoping they will one day have answers. A detective investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence 12 years ago has said it is not too late for people to come forward and stop the "unrelenting anguish" caused to the chef's loved ones. On the 12th anniversary of Claudias disappearance today (Thursday, 18 March), Mr Fox urged anyone with information to do the right thing and speak to him. Police waiting for publics help in search for chef last seen in Heworth, York, on 18 March 2009. Claudia Elizabeth Lawrence (born 27 February 1974) is an English woman who was last seen and heard from on 18 March 2009. Posts Every Sunday Created, researched & written by Jo M Donnelly . She was employed as a chef at the University of York's Goodricke College at the time of her disappearance. Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The missing woman's family has vowed to keep searching with her mum Joan saying: "I realise the recent police team have worked very hard to try and get answers, and I know they feel people are still lying to them, but I cant allow Claudias name to be forgotten. This aspect of her lifestyle would later cause some media speculation and would also influence the police investigation of her disappearance. One of the investigators/journalists was threatened (or told "to back off"). [7] At this point Cooper became alarmed and contacted mutual acquaintances including George Forman, landlord of The Nag's Head, to obtain information concerning her possible whereabouts. The book details the horrific murder of a successful business woman at the hands of her adulterous & envious husband. I recently had a look back over the case and realised that it's been 11 years since the beautiful, 35 year old Claudia Lawrence had vanished from her home in York, England. [7][8] The two men found the house to be in an orderly state. One Sky News journalist stated, "Claudia apparently lived a significant part of her life in secret. The date was said to be significant to wannabe serial killer Halliwell whose former garden in Swindon was dug up by cops in the search for more victims. When did Peter . March 23 - A man in his 50s is arrested on suspicion of murdering Miss Lawrence and is released on police bail the following day. Joan Lawrence, is 76 and lives alone in North Yorkshire. You might have been burgled more times than is the norm if you lived in a predominately student area. Police in York are searching a flooded quarry for the remains of Claudia Lawrence, who went missing in 2009. Its been over ten years since the 35-year-old woman who worked as a Chef at the University of York mysteriously disappeared. Her mother described Lawrence's mood as normal and relaxed. . As with some recent cold case successes, the breakthrough has come from the public and we still have confidence that this will be the case.. They considered it likely that she had decided to absent herself and would reappear after a few days. I dont think these friends were truly her friends but some mutual people she met and knew from her local pub which was a few doors down from her home. I know that its no ones business, but where did all those accusations of dating married men come from? York was always seen as this lovely, safe picturesque city and to hear that someone had gone missing there was quite a shock and for Claudia's family and friends, they were completely dumfounded as well as worried sick. Absolutely brilliant article! 1.1M views 3 years ago Claudia Lawrence went missing in York, 2009. Im pretty sure the police and the family know more than everyone else. Probably much less well-known ones? York is a pretty safe place in general. Anyone with information is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101. I think cops know the perpetrators but dont have sufficient evidence to prosecute. Her father, Peter is a solicitor and her mother, Joan is a stay at home housewife. A few months and weeks prior to Claudias disappearance, she did start to distance herself from these people and she started to hang out at the Acomb pub more frequently than her local pub the nags head. She supports the Missing People charity and makes her telephone number available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support others who have missing loved ones. Police are on their third day of searching for Claudia Lawrence . Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. I exclude the possibility of suicide simply because she had no reason for it. I first came across the Claudia Lawrence case way back in 2010 when I saw one of her 'Missing' posters which was on an information board at York Minster. Instead of taking OCallaghan home Halliwell drove her to a secluded place where he murdered her. [14][15] In early June 2009, a reconstruction of Lawrence's last known movements was featured in an appeal on BBC One's Crimewatch. Detectives also revealed there had been a reported sighting of Claudia at Melrosegate Bridge, with a woman spotted alongside a hooded man. [5], Lawrence had holidayed several times in Cyprus, where she was believed to have explored job opportunities. The only lead in this respect is some unknown male DNA on a cigarette found in her car. -, Press J to jump to the feed. The 35-year-old chef vanished after failing to turn up for an early-morning shift at a University of York canteen on March 19, 2009. . If you are in the UK and happen to have any information about this case, please pass it on to the police (no matter how small) by dialling 101 (North Yorkshire Police), select option 1 and pass the details onto the Force Control Room, quoting ''Claudia Lawrence''. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: "It is not for the want of trying that a breakthrough has not yet come, but rather the result of the continuing refusal of those who know what happened to Claudia to come forward and tell us the truth. A 10,000 reward is offered for information that could lead to the conviction of those responsible. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Galloway indicated that the probable explanation for Lawrence's disappearance lay in her lifestyle, principally in the "complexity and mystery" of her relationships with men. https://northyorkshire.police.uk/news/claudia-lawrence-investigation/ theres a huge separate section dedicated to the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence on the official website of the police of North Yorkshire, it contains quite a few summaries about each further step in the investigation. They even issued a statement saying "We know there are people who know what happened to Claudia, but they are keeping quiet." Yeah, basically this. [42] Ground-penetrating radar equipment and cadaver dogs were used in the search. Lawrence's father was a prosperous solicitor. Could it be the person who abducted her or murdered her? I can imagine how they feel and this is honestly horrific, I would not want this to happen to anyone. [51], Lawrences disappearance caused difficulty arising out of her family's inability to manage her assets and liabilities. [6], At 6am on the morning of 18 March 2009, Lawrence started her shift at Goodricke College's Roger Kirk Centre. We pay for your stories! [1], Lawrence remained single throughout her life while enjoying a gregarious social life. Other theories include human trafficking, possibly being a victim of. The newspapers however took a drastic turn from being sympathetic to trashing Claudia's private life. A year after her disappearance, her best friend Suzy Cooper appealed for help, saying: "We want it to end. She also has a sister called Ali. Claudia's dad was 74 and died on February 11 at St Leonard's Hospice in York following a short illness, his family said in a statement. [3], Lawrence enjoyed a comfortable childhood and was privately educated at the York College for Girls. The new law became popularly known as "Claudia's Law".[52]. March - Nearly a decade on from her disappearance, Miss Lawrence has still not been found. Please do the right thing, come forward and speak to me.. [7] Lawrence told her mother she was at home and that she planned to retire early since she would have to rise before 5am next day in order to walk to work, her car being under repair. I believe that this case deserves as much attention as those well-known cases because its no less mysterious. I feel it's important to never give up hope in these situations as hard as it can be. In late August 2021, Investigators began searching an area outside of York known as former gravel pits fishing lakes. leaving officers desperately probing into her past, her relationships and her work life in an effort to find her. [9], The North Yorkshire Police (NYP) was contacted at around 2 pm on 20 March in order to report Lawrence as a missing person. During that time, the smiling face of the York University chef has been . Whatever went on in Claudia's private life, she didn't deserve this and she didn't deserve the lack of sympathy either. detective investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence 12 years ago has said it is not too late for people to come forward and stop the unrelenting anguish caused to the chefs loved ones. [46], In 2009 Halliwell was living in Swindon, Wiltshire, the location of the two murders he was convicted of. Because of the newspaper articles and the rumours flying around, the arrests of the men and all the talk of older married men, a lot of the public lost sympathy and interest in the case and it went cold and now here we are 11 years later. When she didn't arrive at work her manager tried to call her but didn't get an answer. I feel the arrests that were made may have landed in those suspects having tests and being exonerated as they were not a match. I don't know whether all four men got together to kill her, or if one killed her and the other three know about it or what, but I think it is one of those cases where police know but can't do anything. Do you still have connections to York? A brilliant article on a truly mysterious case. On the eve of the 12th anniversary, Martin Dales, a friend of Mr Lawrence, said: Despite the exhaustive efforts of Claudias late father Peter, family and friends, and North Yorkshire Police, there are still no answers and it is tragic that Peter has died not knowing what has happened to her. Claudia has always been very close with her family and had a happy childhood. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. We may never know. On the tenth anniversary of when she was last seen, police said they were still waiting for information from the public to help them make significant progress. Sources close to the police investigation believe it suggests she was killed by someone she knew, perhaps in her social circle. March 8 - Police say the CPS has decided the four men will not face charges. Cooper telephoned Claudia's father Peter on 20 March to report the situation. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [20] It was reported that the last text message received by Lawrence was from a man who was on the island. Claudia Lawrence is a freelance journalist. She was employed as a chef at the University of York 's Goodricke College at the time of her disappearance. March 19 - Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, contacts North Yorkshire Police after his daughter fails to keep an arrangement to meet a friend at the Nags Head pub. I have just finished reading the incredible & heartbreaking book 'Blood In The Snow' by John Henderson. I dont know if this fact makes the case any unique, I think it probably does. This matched with the left-handed smoker a witness professed to have seen around that time. This particular case is well-known in the UK and probably all over the world as well. Her parents say they dont know anything about that. Peter then entered Claudia's home using his own key in company with George Forman. or someone who had abducted her? Claudia Drury was just 19 years old when she first came across Lawrence Ray at the Sarah Lawrence College dorm. The large majority of these cases are quickly resolved when the missing person reappears. Police have launched search in gravel pits in York for missing chef Claudia Lawrence, who vanished in 2009 Miss Lawrence failed to arrive for work at the University of York on March 18, 2009. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. She sent a final text message from her mobile phone at 8:23pm and a final incoming text was received at 9:12pm. [7] It was determined that the phone had been connected to a mast in the Heworth area of York throughout the morning of 19 March and up to the point it was switched off. I am not stating that these people did anything its just my theory. We pay for videos too. Ex detective Fulcher wanted an enquiry as to why Halliwell wasnt investigated further regarding other deaths. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 22:18. The 35-year-old, who worked as a chef at the University of York, had spoken to her mum on the phone that night, giving no hint anything was wrong. What's even more sinister is that her mobile phone was deliberately switched off at 12:08pm by someone, could it have been Claudia? Furthermore, I feel sorry for Claudias parents who have been suffering a lot for over a decade. An odd similarity links the cases. The Secret Life of Claudia Lawrence? During the investigation, a number of people were arrested over Claudia's disappearance, but none of them were charged. How we can find what happened to Claudia Elizabeth Lawrence and bring her killers to justice. Peter Lawrence, who was 74, died on Thursday at St Leonard's Hospice in York following a. Malyn said the investigation had so far been hindered by a lack of CCTV around Lawrences home, as well as the fact that she had neither a smartphone nor a social media profile when she vanished. The portrayal of her has definitely harmed the investigation . Could it still somehow be related to her disappearance? October 29 - A new forensic search of Miss Lawrence's home is announced as police launch a fresh review of the case. Do you know if there were any other mysterious disappearances around that time? Her manager called her mobile phone number but although the phone rang, the call was directed to voice messaging. DETECTIVES investigating the death of missing Claudia Lawrence have been handed a floral tribute claiming that she is "in the water" of a beauty spot. The first pictures of Claudia Lawrence's home were released by Joan in February 2017, who showed how the house had barely been touched since her daughter vanished. They have endured unrelenting anguish and trauma throughout this time. For whatever reason, they have maintained a silence for 12 years. May 13 - A 59-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder. She was reported to have engaged in a series of short-term relationships often conducted on a concurrent basis. In recent years there have been an average of around 3,500 missing persons reports per year in the NYP area. What do I think happened? In June 2013, NYP announced the 300,000 creation of a new Major Crime Unit (MCU), set up to ease the burden on day-to-day policing. On 8 March 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service refused to pursue a case submitted by NYP against four men who had been arrested on suspicion of murder, citing lack of evidence. Peter telephoned his daughter's manager at Goodricke College and was told that she had not reported for duty on either 19 or 20 March. The Bill, which came into force in July 2019, allows the family of a missing person to apply to the court for guardianship of that person's estate 90 days after the disappearance. The only significant items missing were her mobile phone, a set of hair straighteners and a rucksack which she normally used to carry her chef's whites to and from work. Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway stated that Lawrence "knew several people who live on the island" and that she may have "received job offers" while there. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Claudia Lawrence was last seen in March 2009, with questions about her disappearance still left unanswered, Convicted killer Christopher Halliwell may be linked to six other murders, including the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, New CCTV in Claudia Lawrence case six years on. Mum Joan Lawrence, 76, who lives alone in a North Yorkshire flat, admits that being in isolation is making the disappearance of Claudia 11 years ago "even harder to deal with". He also alluded to the fact that the police kept the location of the phone back. Her mother later reported that Claudia sounded ''cheerful and relaxed''. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The chef, 35, failed to arrive for work at York University on 18 March . The car's brake lights come on as it approaches level with Lawrence's cottage. Areas of York were searched but nothing came of that either. The two were reported to have been on friendly terms and he had often given her lifts in his car to and from work. Claudia Lawrence was last seen near her home in Melrosegate, Heworth, York, on the evening of March 18, 2009. [18], In September 2009, NYP revealed that the search for Lawrence had been extended to Cyprus. Mr Fox said some of the information received by the force appears extremely interesting and sparks a whole new line of investigation, and he urged anyone providing this information to get back in touch with as much detail as possible. These were just theories. She was always seen with her friends having a good time and enjoying herself. Also, we have no actual scene where something untoward may have happened to her despite fresh forensic assessments of her house, car and other locations.. 5-6 King's Court, Shambles, York YO1 7LD, Selby Superbowl, Bawtry Road, Selby YO8 8NA. However, NYP officers checked her route to work and sent out a public request for information. She seems to have accepted this offer. The search was reportedly prompted by new evidence although police would not state what that new evidence was. I also believe that she died shortly after her disappearance. I find it a little odd that this case is not as well-known as the disappearance of Andrew Gosden or Corrie McKeauge which have been widely discussed on Reddit and other websites/forums. Would not surprise me if one of the girls did not set it up and was also there. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . She spent her early life with her father Peter (died 2021),[2] mother Joan and older sister Ali. [47] Both NYP and Wiltshire Police have stated that there is no direct evidence linking Halliwell to the Lawrence case, and Wiltshire Police have disclosed that they have CCTV evidence of Halliwell buying petrol at a petrol station in Swindon on the evening before Lawrence disappeared. Claudia owned her own house and seemed to have the world at her feet so when she suddenly vanished on the 18th of March 2009 nobody could understand why. The date 19 March figures in a number of these cases and this date is believed to have had some significance to Halliwell. Officials had not confirmed why the area was being trawled but said the search will take a "number of days". *edited as she did have her purse with her. Generally any place has its advantages and disadvantages and I dont think that absolutely safe places exist, some towns/cities, areas, regions and/or countries probably tend to be safer than the others, thats it, but again, its highly likely that no place in the world is absolutely safe.