Search for Muriel McKay's remains concludes without success

The family of Muriel McKay has been informed by the Metropolitan Police that the search for her remains has not yielded any results.

The police have completed their search and will not seek permission for any future searches at the property.

Detective Superintendent Katherine Goodwin from Specialist Crime stated, “After eight days of searching, unfortunately, we have not been able to find Muriel’s remains. We all shared a hope and desire that we would find her burial site and bring some closure to her family, and I am so sorry we have not been able to do that. This is not the outcome any of us wanted.”

The search efforts at a Hertfordshire farm, believed to be Muriel's burial site, involved a team of detectives and specialist search officers. Detective Superintendent Goodwin detailed the efforts, saying, “Since the beginning of last week, a team of detectives and specialist search officers have been working at the Hertfordshire farm where it is thought Muriel may have been buried to carry out meticulous and detailed work to find her.”

The search parameters were established following careful examination of all evidence and information gathered by the investigation team, which included interviews with Muriel’s family and Nizamodeen Hosein in Trinidad. Goodwin added, “We are extremely grateful to the property owners for allowing us to search the land, causing considerable disruption to their daily lives.”

Despite comprehensive searches, including areas identified as potential sites for Muriel’s remains, and beyond a former manure heap, the efforts have not been fruitful. Detective Superintendent Goodwin stated, “We can conclusively say the information given by Hosein in the last two years is not correct; Muriel is not at the location he has indicated.”

Regarding questions about bringing Hosein to the UK to assist with the search, Goodwin explained, “Our view has always been that we do not believe it would provide us with beneficial information and therefore we would not formally approach the Home Office, who would be required to grant permission. We carefully reviewed this decision during the search and, based on Hosein’s reliability as a witness and the likelihood of a successful outcome, we stand by our original decision.”

The police have informed Muriel’s family that further searches would not be proportionate and the investigation has now concluded. Goodwin expressed her regret, saying, “We are saddened that we were unable to bring them the closure they so desperately long for.”

The property owners expressed their disappointment, stating, “It is a very disappointing result not to have found the remains of Muriel McKay. We granted permission for the dig in our garden to support the family of the deceased in finding closure to this tragic event, despite the evidence provided by the murderer being inconsistent and unreliable.”

They acknowledged the efforts made by the police, saying, “We are pleased that the family of the deceased attended the dig on multiple occasions to witness the professionalism, dedication, and hard work of the police in excavating an area in excess of 250 square metres around the spot agreed by all parties.”

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