Twenty-two-year-old insurance clerk Helen McCourt was returning from work in Liverpool on her way to meet her friend but changed her plans because of bad weather. Fifteen miles away a dog walker found two blood-stained towels and several items of discarded men’s clothing – one with a beer brand logo popular with the George and Dragon pub where she worked the year before. Police questioned the landlord Ian Simms and a search of his car discovered blood and part of an opal and sapphire earring – identical to ones given to Helen. He was arrested for murder as more than 5,000 members of public combed the area looking for her, but a body could not be found. This compelling episode features the inspiring Marie McCourt, who has fought for Helen’s law to be introduced to prevent parole for killers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims' bodies.
The second episode of the series reveals the story of 22-year-old Lorraine Benson’s murder following a work Christmas party in 1988. Lorraine arrived at Raynes Park tube station, where her friend failed to meet her as planned. Within hours her belongings had been found and by the morning a body had been discovered beaten and strangled. Forensic evidence helped close in on John Dunne, a suspect previously arrested for attempted rape. His confession to Lorraine’s murder saw him convicted and given a life sentence.
Natalie Hemming had been reported missing on a bank holiday Sunday after a night out. Two days later Natalie’s former partner of 10 years Paul was questioned by police and informed them that Natalie had been raped on the Saturday night and had gone away to 'clear her head'. Three days after she was reported missing Paul was arrested and charged with her murder, and Natalie’s body was discovered three weeks later. In the ensuing investigation, Natalie’s son testified that after being woken and walking downstairs, he’d seen his mother wrapped in a rug. This led the forensic team to blood spots on the table near where the rug had been, ensuring Paul’s conviction. With contributions from Natalie’s sisters Joanne and Kerry, and Forensic Criminologist Jane Monckton-Smith, this episode tells a tragic story of how a turbulent relationship ended in jealous murder.
In 1985 Carole Packman left a note to say she was leaving the family home for good. This explanation was widely accepted, that was until almost 10 years later when her husband Russell committed insurance fraud by faking his own death. This episode chronicles Carole’s daughter Sam’s desperate search to find out what happened to Carole and with the help of police it turns out her disappearance wasn’t as it first appeared.
In 1985 Carole Packman left a note to say she was leaving the family home for good. This explanation was widely accepted, that was until almost 10 years later when her husband Russell committed insurance fraud by faking his own death. This episode chronicles Carole’s daughter Sam’s desperate search to find out what happened to Carole and with the help of police it turns out her disappearance wasn’t as it first appeared.
Danielle Jones, aged 15, was last seen on June 18 2001 near her home in East Tilbury, Essex when leaving for school. Later that day, Danielle’s school rang her home to say she hadn’t turned up. Eyewitnesses saw a school girl arguing with a man, with further reports suggesting she was seen with a man with a blue van. After Danielle had been reported as missing, police turned their focus to the blue van, leading them to her uncle, Stuart Campbell.
Shafilea Ahmed from Cheshire ran away from home a number of times before her parents attempted to force her to marry a cousin in Pakistan. After friends reported her missing, the police launched a missing persons enquiry, while Shafilea’s friends told police of how she spoke about rows at home.
The tragic story of 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson centres around her violent and controlling relationship with 22-year-old Ben Blakeley. Jayden was strangled by Blakeley after she told him she was pregnant with his child. He buried her in a shallow ditch before moving her body and dumping her in his uncle’s grave with the help of his brother, who was told Ben was burying weapons and a dog.
One wintry day in France in 1999, Evelyn Lund left the home of her close friend – and vanished. The following month her second husband Robert Lund reported her missing and French police began their search for Evelyn. Visiting her worried family in England, they teamed up with Lancashire police and the united forces began to piece together a worrying picture of the troubled domestic life of Evelyn and Robert Lund. With no sign of Mrs Lund and evidence mounting, the finger of suspicion pointed towards Robert. Convinced that this was more than a simple missing person case, police arrested Robert, but under French law they were unable to pursue a murder charge without a body, so he was released.
The last episode of the series tells the story of Janet Müller, who was a bright and fun-loving 21-year-old German exchange student at Brighton University. In March 2015, Janet was admitted to hospital after being found by the police at a bus stop in her night clothes. With no history of mental illness, Janet was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, unable to discharge herself. Ten days later Janet climbed over a wall to escape from the hospital and was found burnt in the boot of Christopher Jeffrey-Shaw’s car. In court, He told the jury he had been involved with drug dealers who borrowed his hire car for a robbery which went wrong, and then ordered him to set fire to the vehicle. Jeffrey-Shaw was later convicted on manslaughter charges. The inquest was unable to confirm why Janet had ended up in the car but upon sentencing Jeffrey-Shaw, the judge, said: 'The only difference between you and a murderer is an extremely thin line.'
Joanna Simpson meets Robert Brown, a pilot with BA. Two months after their meeting they fall in love. In 2010, Joanna is reported missing by Robert Brown, but he then hands himself into police.
May 2018 in East London, a mother of three is reported missing by her sister. The family of Mihrican Mustafa, 38 also known as Mary Jane or jan launches a massive search for her as police investigate her disappearance.
In 2004, 8-year-old Mark Cummings goes out to play on the estate around the tower block where he lives with his family in Glasgow, Scotland. But when his mother calls him in for his supper, Mark does not come home.
Young mum Lorraine Taggart receives a phone call from her estranged brother Ross. Their mother has gone missing and has not been seen for several days.
Jamie Lavis, a spirited 8-year-old boy disappears in 1997 after not returning to his home. He was last seen on CCTV at Ashton Bus Station after boarding the bus.
Surjit marries into the Athwell family in London. She is just 16-years-old. It is an arranged marriage. After a family wedding in India some years later, Surjit never returns, and all contact with her ends. She has seemingly vanished.
22-year-old Joe had been in and out of the care home system throughout his childhood and into his teenage years. Then Joe suddenly vanishes on 6th August 2018 in Ipswich, Suffolk.
In April 2020, during lockdown, 16-year-old Louise Smith is living with her aunt. There's an ^ argument and she storms out, arriving later that day at her uncle's house. On 8th May 2020, Louise is reported missing.
Debbie Griggs, mother of three, disappears from the home she shares with her husband, Andrew. It's an alarming turn of events for her friends and family given that Debbie is pregnant.
It is 1999, 38-year-old Adam Alexander does not turn up for his shifts driving lorries out of the depot near where he lives in Errol, Scotland. His mother and sister soon sound the alarm to police.
Sinead Healy, 26, disappeared from her home in Fulham, West London, in 2000. Five months after her disappearance, a body is found in a shallow grave off the A40 near Beaconsfield.
Libby Squire, a university student in Hull, disappeared after a night out with friends in 2019. Libby's parents made a public appeal for information and Humberside Police went door-to-door where she had last been seen, hoping to find her.
Lesley and her partner Lee Ford were living together when Peter received a call that nobody had seen Lesley or the children for a month, concern quickly grew for their wellbeing.
In early February 2009, Clare's father had trouble contacting his daughter. Eventually Michael asked his son-in-law to visit her home. That is when police found Clare's body at her home in Salford...
Thomas Ashley Cressman's mother hasn't heard from him all weekend, and is concerned that something is wrong. The homicide investigation begins.
Jane Harrison, a 32-year-old mother of two, appeared to vanish into thin air, and whilst the case was quickly elevated from a missing persons enquiry to a murder investigation, her body has never been found.
In the early hours of 11th February 2002, Ryan woke his mum and asked to go and play video games downstairs with Ryan Mariner. When his mother woke at 07:30, both were gone...
On 9th August a second call was made to police asking for a welfare check on Rosalyn as she hadn't been seen or heard from. Flies and a broken window observed in the flat and the police forced entry, finding Rosalyn's body badly beaten.
Julie was missing for eighty days, at which point a foul smell filled the house and in the bathroom the smell grew stronger...
On 26th February 2011, police arrive at the scene of a burning car and the fire brigade attend to put the fire out--it is at this stage that a body is found in the boot. An investigation begins to unravel in how Gagandip came to be there.