Police remain 'open minded' about any link between missing York chef Claudia Lawrence and Swindon serial killer
They've released a statement after recent media coverage
Last updated 14th Apr 2023
North Yorkshire Police say they're keeping an open mind about a potential link between a Swindon serial killer and missing chef Claudia Lawrence.
Christopher Halliwell is known to have links in the area that Claudia was last seen in 2009.
On Mother's Day of this year, Claudia's mum Joan Lawrence publicly appealed for Halliwell to be interviewed about her daughter's disappearance.
This week, the mother of one of Halliwell's known victims Becky Godden-Edwards backed her appeal.
Halliwell, who's now 58, is already serving a whole life term for two murders of women in the Swindon area.
22 year old Sian O'Callaghan was picked up by Christopher Halliwell in his taxi after a night out at a local club in 2011.
Her body was found 5 days later near Uffington in Oxfordshire.
In 2012, Halliwell pleaded guilty to her murder at Bristol Crown Court and was sentenced to life in prison.
Becky Godden-Edwards was reported missing in 2007 and is believed to have been murdered in 2003 - her body was found buried in a field in Eastleach in Gloucestershire.
Halliwell went on trial in 2016 where he represented himself, and was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court.
His life sentence was then upgraded to a whole life term, meaning he'll never be released from prison.
Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox, Head of the Major Investigation Team at North Yorkshire Police, said:
“Since September 2016, when it was first suggested by a former detective from Wiltshire Police, the North Yorkshire Police enquiry team have continued to engage closely with our colleagues in Wiltshire to establish any possible link between Christopher Halliwell and Claudia Lawrence.
“We have pursued lines of enquiry which are focussed on any link he may have to the North Yorkshire area and, in particular, the movements of Christopher Halliwell during the material times in which we believe Claudia came to harm.
“The results of those enquiries, which included examinations of digital devices and the interviewing of several witnesses, indicated that Halliwell continued to operate as a taxi driver in the Swindon area within the relevant time parameters.
“Both investigation teams reached a position in which we concluded it to be unlikely that Halliwell left the Wiltshire area, or was present in North Yorkshire, at the time of Claudia’s disappearance.
“I am mindful of recent information from witnesses which suggests that Halliwell had links to Yorkshire and may have stalked females in the local area.
“Steps have been taken to conduct interviews with these witnesses and that information has been thoroughly assessed against known facts.
“However, I continue to keep an open mind and repeat that North Yorkshire Police is committed to finding the answers that Claudia’s family deserve and need.
“Should any information indicate that Christopher Halliwell may have been elsewhere other than Swindon between Wednesday 18 March and Friday 20 March 2009, then this information will be thoroughly investigated and tested against the volumes of material gathered throughout the course of the enquiry.
“I urge anybody with information which they feel may be relevant to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia to make contact with North Yorkshire Police.”
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