Police divers spent the weekend searching the river near Boots Bridge, Manea, in their bid to find the body of suspected murder victim Julie Buckley. It was the second time Nottinghamshire Police Underwater And Specialist Search Unit had been called in by the Major Crime Unit for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire.
Karl Hutchings has been charged with murder and several people arrested in connection with the death of Ms Buckley, 54, of Christchurch.
Hutchings, 47, of The Hill in Christchurch, Cambridgeshire, appeared last week before Judge Mark Bishop at a crown court hearing in Huntingdon, charged with the murder of Julie Buckley.
He is due to appear for a plea hearing on March 17 and a trial date has been set for September 21.
A 45-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail.
A 49-year-old man and 42-year-old woman, both from Christchurch, who were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have also been released on bail.
Police confirmed searches continue and will release further information when they are able to.
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Ms Buckley have released further details about her disappearance and made a fresh appeal for dashcam footage.
It followed an earlier announcement by police that they were so concerned about Ms Buckley that they were treating her disappearance as murder.
Ms Buckley had not been seen since 28 January, when she was captured on CCTV at Budgens in March.
Police are investigating a report of suspicious activity at Bedlam Bridge and are appealing drivers who may have driven along the Bedlam Bridge, Sixteen Foot Bank, March, on the evening of 30 January, between 8pm and 9pm, or close to those times, to get in touch.
Detective Inspector Verity McCann, from the Major Crime Unit, said: “We are really keen to hear from anyone, particularly drivers with dashcams, who may have driven along that stretch of road or in that general area during those times.
“We’re keen to speak with them and get hold of any footage they have, which might assist us with our search.
“This is a fast-paced investigation, and we are doing all we can to find out what has happened to Julie.”
Hutchings, 47, of Hill, Christchurch, near March, remains in custody and has made a number of court appearances since his being charged.
Anyone with information should contact the investigation team via the dedicated portal here https://mipp.police.uk/operation/35SA020125C04-PO1
Anyone without internet access should call 101 and quote Operation Dragonfish.
The specialist dive team from Nottinghamshire police have been working with their Cambridgeshire colleagues in the search for Julie.
The team of divers – one of only 11 specialist units in the country – is often on standby to assist with searches across the East Midlands and beyond.
Detectives requested help from the dive team to carry out a river search near the woman’s home.
The specialist divers set up alongside the 16ft Foot drain between Upwell and March to begin their search.
This weekend the team returned to the Fens to search the river near Boots Bridge, Manea.
Detective Inspector Richard Stott said: “We are trying to piece together Julie’s movements before she disappeared so I would appeal for anyone who has seen her in the past few weeks to get in touch.
“We know she has links to places in the surrounding area including March, Manea, and Chatteris so I would urge people who live in those areas to consider if they have information that could be of use to our inquiry.
“We are in touch with family of Julie and specially trained officers are keeping them up to date on the police inquiry at this very difficult time.
Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit declared the case a ‘no-body’ murder , Christchurch Saturday 15 February 2025. Picture by Terry Harris.
“Although we have always wanted to find Julie alive, the circumstances suggest she is likely to have come to serious harm, so we continue to treat her disappearance as murder.”
Police have also searched both the home of Ms Buckley in Christchurch and a second bungalow in Grounds Avenue, March.
Cambridgeshire police initially turned their attention to the bungalow in Christchurch after Ms Buckley, who lived there, was reported missing.
Later, after it was announced by Cambridgeshire police it was now a ‘no-body- murder inquiry, the second bungalow in March became the focus of their attention. It, too, has been secured with police tape.
Neighbours said they had not seen the woman for a while as Cambridgeshire police announced an arrest had been made.
