Suzy Lamplugh

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Suzy Lamplugh
Suzy Lamplugh

Susannah "Suzy" Lamplugh (pronounced /ˈlæmpluː/, "Lamploo") (born 1961 - declared dead, presumed murdered 1994) was a British estate agent reported missing on 28 July 1986 (aged 25) in Fulham, West London. She was officially declared to be dead, presumed murdered in 1994. The last clue to her whereabouts was an appointment to show a house in Shorrolds Road to someone she referred to as "Mr Kipper".

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[edit] Disappearance

Lamplugh was an estate agent, reported missing after going to an appointment with someone calling themselves "Mr Kipper" in order to show him a house in Fulham. Her office diary recorded the essential details of the appointment: '12.45 Mr Kipper - 37 Shorrolds Road O/S', with the 'O/S' annotation meaning outside the property. Witnesses reported seeing Lamplugh arguing with a man in Shorrolds Road and then getting into a car.

Her white Ford Fiesta was found that night outside a property for sale in Stevenage Road, Fulham, approximately one and a half miles away. The ignition key was missing and Lamplugh's purse was found in a door storage pocket. Days before her disappearance an unknown man delivered a bunch of roses to Lamplugh's office, at Sturgis Estate Agents.[citation needed] Police suggested that a black BMW car might have been involved due to an eye witness account of a car at the same location as Lamplugh's car in Stevenage Road. It was thought for some time after her disappearance that "Kipper" was her pronunciation of the Dutch name "Kuiper", but despite police investigations, nobody of this name was found to be connected to Lamplugh.

[edit] Police investigations

In 1994 Lamplugh was officially declared dead. Further police investigations in 1998 and 2000 failed to uncover any trace of her.

There has been speculation that a convicted murderer and rapist named John Cannan could have killed Lamplugh because he was released from a hostel only days before she went missing.[1] Also, it has been claimed that Cannan's nickname in prison was 'Kipper'. However despite investigations there is no hard evidence. Cannan has denied any involvement.

In 2000 a former girlfriend of John Cannan's, Gilly Paige, told police that he had suggested Lamplugh's body was buried at Norton Barracks, a former RAF barracks in Worcestershire. One of Cannan's fellow prisoners told police that Cannan had buried Suzy under the patio of his Mother's house in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands.[2]

[edit] Similar cases

There was a similar case in 2006 involving a 48 year old female estate agent in Wiltshire who met a client called Mr Herring. She was attacked with a sharp object which caused her to have cuts to her arm and she was pushed to the ground, but she managed to release herself and Mr Herring ran away. Police have said there is no connection between this case and the disappearance of Lamplugh.[3]

The only person to be convicted of attacking a female estate agent is Michael Sams, who kidnapped Stephanie Slater in 1992.[4] She was an estate agent employee in the West Midlands. Slater was held in a makeshift coffin for eight days in Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, while Sams blackmailed the British police and British Rail for £175,000. Stephanie's employers paid the ransom and Slater was released outside her parents' house. He was later arrested after his ex-wife recognised his voice when it was played on the BBC Crimewatch TV programme. He was also found guilty of murdering 18-year- old prostitute Julie Dart from Leeds.[5] He was found guilty of these crimes in 1993 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is still behind bars as of 2008, and is currently being held at Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire.

Lamplugh had been working as a beautician on the ocean liner QE2 in 1982. Steve Wright, who was convicted in February 2008 of the murder of five prostitutes in Ipswich, worked as a steward on the QE2 at the same time. Police are investigating whether Wright was connected to Lamplugh's disappearance.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Carter, Helen. Lamplugh suspect denies playing games with police, The Guardian, November 16, 2002. Accessed June 4, 2008.
  2. ^ Police study Lamplugh claims, BBC News, December 1, 2002. Accessed June 4, 2008.
  3. ^ Estate agent assaulted at house, BBC News, June 22, 2006. Accessed June 4, 2008.
  4. ^ Stephanieslater.org
  5. ^ Tingle, Len. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire: The Price of Justice?, BBC News, November 6, 2003. Accessed June 4, 2008.
  6. ^ Addley, Esther; McVeigh, Karen. Motive still unknown as serial killer faces rest of life in prison, The Guardian, February 22, 2008. Accessed June 4, 2008.

[edit] External links