Have Cops Spoken To Claudia Killer? - Sky News

1:08am UK, Friday March 18, 2011

Gerard Tubb, north of England correspondent

Detectives have marked the second anniversary of York cook Claudia Lawrence's disappearance by admitting there is "real potential" they have spoken to her killer.

Claudia Lawrence's disappearance has eluded police for two years

The 35-year-old was last seen two years ago today near her home in Heworth, York, after finishing work in the kitchens of York University.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway is convinced Claudia was abducted and murdered by someone she knew.

Mr Galloway told a news briefing that there were between 10 and 100 "potential suspects."

Refusing to say exactly how many names were on the list, he would only confirm it was "much closer to the former than the latter".

Pressed by Sky News on whether he believed he had spoken to Claudia's killer, Mr Galloway said: "There is a real potential for that to be the case.

It haunts me. I think about Claudia, I think about the investigation, day in, day out.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway

"Until Claudia's killer is brought to justice there's danger, and we need to resolve that."

His murder theory is based on Claudia's "out of character" lack of contact, particularly with her mother Joan, and the fact that credit cards and other personal belongings were left at home.

Despite spending £750,000 without finding any sign of Claudia, Mr Galloway insists his investigation has not been a failure.

"Absolutely not," he said.

"It is a very difficult investigation, but I'm satisfied it has been an objective and thorough investigation and continues to be so."

The lifestyles of some of the men Claudia knew have made it all but impossible for detectives to corroborate alibis and eliminate them from their inquiries.

Claudia Lawrence's father Peter has appealed for information on her disappearance

Three months after she went missing, the police spoke of the "complexity and mystery" of some of Claudia's personal relationships, which they said were making the investigation more difficult.

The admission came after Sky News revealed Claudia had a secretive side to her character and would often arrange meetings with men without telling anyone.

The hunt for Claudia involved more than 100 people at its peak.

But two years on no one is working on it full time and a £10,000 reward for information from the Crimestoppers charity has been discontinued.

Mr Galloway admitted the unsolved case was taking a personal toll, saying: "It haunts me. I think about Claudia, I think about the investigation, day in, day out."

Claudia's father Peter will mark the anniversary of her disappearance with a news conference outside the University of York kitchens where she worked.

Mr Lawrence plans to discuss his efforts to make it easier for families to deal with the financial affairs of missing relatives and "the frustrating lack of answers as to where Claudia is".