Mystery letter NAMES Steven Clark’s ‘killer’: Police investigate anonymous note
Mystery letter NAMES Steven Clark’s ‘killer’: Police probing disabled man’s disappearance believe anonymous but ‘precise’ hand-written note may hold truth about 1992 case that led to his parents being arrested over ‘murder’
- Steven Clark, 23, was last seen at 3pm on December 28, 1992, in north Yorks
- Cleveland Police are looking into an anonymous note that ‘names the killer’
- They hope the distinctive hand-writing will help identifty the sender, who they say could make a key witness in the investigation into Steven’s disappearance
- Parents Doris, 81, and Charles, 78, were arrested last month by detectives
Police investigating the suspected murder of a 23-year-old man have revealed the anonymous letter that ‘names his killer’ 28 years after he went missing.
Detectives looking into the disappearance of Steven Clark hope the distinctive handwriting on the letter may help them find the sender, who they believe could be a key witness in the case.
Investigating officers described the ‘precise’ hand-written note as a ‘significant’ development.
A missing person’s report stated that at 3pm on December 28, 1992, during a family walk, the son used the gents’ public toilets near the promenade in Saltburn, Cleveland, while his mother went to the ladies’.
When he did not come out of the toilets, Mrs Clark said she thought her son had made his own way home, but he was never seen again.
Police were sent a letter reportedly naming Stephen Clark’s killer 21 years ago. Police said their records showed the letter was assessed by officers and the information was recorded. They have released an image of the anonymous note in the hope someone will recognise the handwriting, as they think the sender could be a key witness for their investigations
Detectives say they do not know if the letter writer is a man or a woman, but says they suspect they may be well educated
Steven Clark, 23, was last seen on December 28, 1992, in Cleveland, North Yorkshire
No body has ever been found.
A cold case review led detectives to suspect he had been murdered, and last month his mother Doris, 81, and dad Charles, 78, were arrested on suspicion of murder. The couple were released on bail.
Police hope the mystery letter could unlock the key to his disappearance and say the anonymous writer seems to have exact details about Steven, who vanished in North Yorkshire.
Det Chief Insp Shaun Page told The Mirror: ‘I believe the person who wrote the letter knew Steven was dead, and claims to know the person responsible.
‘It is very precise so is one of the key lines of inquiry in this investigation.’
But they revealed fears that the writer could be dead, as the letter was delivered to Guisborough police station in North Yorkshire 21 years ago.
Steven Clark’s elderly parents Doris and Charles Clark were arrested last month on suspicion of his murder. The couple have been released on bail and deny any wrongdoing
A cold case review led detectives to suspect that Steven had been murdered, but no body has ever been found
Police said their records showed the letter was assessed by officers and the information was recorded.
Detectives say they do not know if the letter writer is a man or a woman, but says they suspect they may be well educated.
He added: ‘If anyone recognises the handwriting, we would urge them to get in touch.’
Last month, cold case detectives and specialist officers relaunched the investigation and arrested Steven’s parents on suspicion of murder.
A police tent was erected in the back garden of Steven Clark’s parents’ home last month as officers continue to investigate his suspected murder
Mrs Clark denied the couple murdered their son, saying the situation was ‘absolutely ludicrous’ and the couple have vowed to clear their name.
Police were seen last month in the back garden of the couple’s Markse-by-the-Sea home, where a forensic tent was set up along with a cordon on an alleyway at the side of the house.
Five police cars and vans, a crime scene investigation vehicle and an incident command unit were also seen parked outside the semi-detached house, in Coast Road.
Cleveland Police have also been contacted by a key witness who saw Steven alive between 3-4pm on the day he disappeared.
The woman recognised him from the press coverage following the recent cold case review and came forward to say she saw Steven Clark in Marske late in the afternoon.
Cleveland Police said the development gave them ‘significant information’.
The force said the potential witness was out with her family and reported that Mr Clark, who has a disabled left arm and walks with a slight limp, passed them as they were walking on the High Street towards Marske square.
The man, believed to be Mr Clark, was walking in the opposite direction towards The Ship Inn, and it had not yet got dark.
The force said the woman saw the 1992 appeal for information about Steven’s whereabouts, and confirmed with her family that it was the missing 23-year-old who they had seen, but she did not think it was relevant to the case at that time.
Steven Clark walked with a pronounced limp as a result of a childhood road accident, which also left him with other disabilities.
At the time he disappeared, Mr Clark attended the Rathbone Society in Redcar, which worked with people with disabilities to improve their employment skills, and he had won the Apprentice of the Year Award.
In previous appeals for information, Police said: ‘A lot of people knew Steven and I would again appeal for people to come forward with any information, no matter how small or insignificant they think it is.
‘I would like to hear from anyone who saw Steven on Christmas bank holiday weekend in 1992, which was Friday December 24 to Monday December 27.
‘Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.’
