Cold case detectives are appealing for information 18 years after the disappearance of Terry McSpadden from Elm in Wisbech. Terry was a 24-year-old father of two young children who was well established in the Wisbech area where he lived and worked, had friends, and socialised in local pubs.
Described as reliable and hard-working and totally dedicated to his two children who were aged three and one at the time, he was last seen in the early hours of Friday 2 March 2007 withdrawing cash at Tesco having spent the evening in the Locomotive pub in Wisbech.
The electronic tag he was wearing for a recent minor offence last placed him at an address in Outwell Road, Elm, where he was staying with a friend, later the same morning at 8.43am.
He has not been seen or heard from since.
Initially he was treated as a missing person, but inquiries led officers to raise the case to murder.
His body has never been found but in 2012 a man was charged. The case was dismissed by the judge who said there was not enough evidence to take him to trial.
Subsequent reviews and a 2014 Crimestoppers appeal offering a £5,000 reward did not generate any significant new leads.
And although new calls have come in, none so far have identified new lines of inquiry.
Andy Guy, Norfolk Police’s cold case manager, said: “Terry’s family including his mother and two children have never had closure. They have no idea of where he is, what happened to him, or why.
“They have lived with this grief and uncertainty for 18 years. While this is a long time ago I have no doubt there are people out there who do know, or suspect, what happened to Terry.
“I understand that people may not have wished to engage with the police in 2007 but having knowledge of what happened to Terry may lay heavy on someone’s conscience and for Terry, his mother, and children, now would be the time to disclose that information.
“As with all cold cases we remain open to new leads and information. Even the smallest piece of information could be significant in helping to understand the events that led to Terry’s disappearance.
“We are also keen understand what may have happened to his black Hammerite, hand-painted, ‘Giant’ mountain bike which was never recovered. Terry did not drive so used his bike for local transport.
“Whether it was sold on or disposed of in any other way is something that has never been understood and could help build a picture of the circumstances.
“Terry was an attentive and loving father which makes any hypothesis that he simply upped and left the area all the more unlikely and there has been no proof of life after 2 March 2007.
“We believe he came to harm by the actions of a third party, and we want that person to be brought before the courts so justice can be secured for Terry and his family.
“If anyone does have any information that could help the investigation please do come forward and share it with us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Norfolk Police quoting crime reference 36/39431/16 via any of the following channels:
Website: https://www.norfolk.police.uk/tell-us
Phone: 01953 423819
Email: unsolvedcasereviews@norfolk.police.uk
Crimestoppers: Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org
