Murder police search next to victim’s home
Parents quizzed over 1992 mystery
POLICE investigating the suspected murder of a son who vanished in 1992, yesterday began searching close to his former family home after his parents were arrested.
Crime scene teams scoured undergrowth in a wooded area near a school.
The site is opposite the house once shared by missing Steven Clark and his parents Doris, now 81, and former police officer Charles, 78.
Steven, who suffered from a limp after being in a car accident aged two, disappeared when he was 23.
His pa r e n t s confirmed to the Mirror they had been arrested on suspicion of murder after a cold case review.
A missing persons report describes how the family had been out on a walk when Steven vanished without a trace.
It said he used a public toilet in Saltburn, North Yorks, while his mum went to the ladies.
And when Steven failed to reappear she thought he had returned to their home in nearby Marske-by-the-Sea.
As the search continued, Cleveland Police also appealed for the writer of an anonymous letter sent to investigators in 1999 to come forward. Det Chief Insp Shaun Page said: “For operational reasons I can’t divulge the contents or topic of the letter.
“But it was sent to the incident room at Guisborough police station.
“The person who sent it may know more that could help our inquiry team.
“They obviously felt compelled to write seven years after his disappearance. I would like to hear from them again.” The force said two people arrested on suspicion of Steven’s murder had been bailed, but gave no further details.
Mr Clark, who worked in banking and also served with Northumbria Police in South Shields, said he and his wife had not seen nor heard from Steven, since he disappeared.
He confirmed the couple had been were questioned by police on Wednesday and added: “[Steven] just disappeared, and we are still looking for him. It is an utter mystery. Nothing has changed.
“We are on bail until October 12, when they will tell us if they are going to charge or dismiss it.”