Murder search launched as body buried in field confirms male ‘trauma’ victim

Detectives investigating the discovery of human remains in an area have launched a murder investigation and are seeking information about socks and shoes found at the site.

Nottinghamshire Police said evidence gathered during a three-week search of the scene near Sutton-in-Ashfield suggested the victim had been buried there in an attempt to prevent her body being discovered.

A number of bones were found by a member of the public on 26 April following construction work on agricultural land in Cocksmoor Road, prompting a police operation which saw further remains discovered.

Extensive work and post-mortem examination has been conducted by a team of scientists, including anthropologists, which suggest that the skeleton is that of a male who was aged 40–60 years and was between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall. Was in the middle

DNA testing has ruled out a link with the disappearance and suspected murder of Robin Barrows Spencer, 47, a local man who was reported missing in June 2004 by his mother.

Officials are now awaiting the results of a radiocarbon dating test to determine when the man died.

Appealing for information and confirming two socks and a shoe were found at the burial site, Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin of Nottinghamshire Police said: “It is important to remember that this is not just a collection of bones in one area.

“This is someone dear whose family will doubtless have been waiting for an answer for many years.

“His family is at the forefront of our minds and that is why we have been careful in making our decisions We were on the scene at Cocksmoor Road for three weeks to make sure we could do as much as possible Collect as much evidence as you can.

“It is vital that we can provide his family with all the answers they need and that the work we are doing now can ensure that those responsible for his death are brought to justice.

“It will obviously be distressing for the local community to hear, as at this time we cannot provide identities.”

Mr Griffin said: “What I can say is that we have a team of detectives along with a team of scientists working to gather as many details as possible to help us identify the individual She is working very hard.

“At this stage we believe that the person was murdered due to the injuries. This includes trauma to parts of (her) skeleton, which are undergoing further analysis.

“We also believe that he was buried at this site so that no one could find him. It may also be that the burial site is not the place where he was killed.”

Mr. Griffin said that this murder is not recent.

“Radiocarbon dating will help provide a scientific date range for the date of death and may provide a minimum time frame that the body has been buried.

“We now have a team of dedicated detectives working on this matter and would really like to hear from members of the public.

“Any information you may have about who this person may be, or anything you’ve heard, we ask you to get in touch. This murder may have happened a while ago, but times have changed and Loyalties have also changed.

Officials have also addressed “rumours and speculation” about the discovery, stressing that there is nothing to indicate any other bodies were buried at the site.

Superintendent Claire Ruckas said: “It is a single grave containing the same dead person.

“We know that the woods around Cocksmoor Road are a popular place to walk. We know that the search for human remains will be dangerous, but the public have nothing to fear and they are safe to access.”