Detective hopes for breakthrough after ‘very difficult few years’
The detective leading the case says he hopes a fresh appeal will open new lines of inquiries and find the missing piece of the jigsaw.
Detective Inspector Ed Small is reviewing the murder as part of Northumbria Police’s Unsolved Murders Revisited.
He said: “Our condolences very much remain with Robert’s family.
“I’m sure it has been a very difficult few years and the not having the answers only prolongs their grief.
“We need answers to what happened to him.
“We hope that together with Crimestoppers and the people of Sunderland, we can help find the person or people responsible for Robert’s death.
“There will be people in the community who will have information about his murder and information that can assist with our inquiry, and we need them to come forward and speak to us.”
“Robert’s car was found at the end of Stewart Street near to Chester Road, it had been left sometime overnight between Monday, June 23, and Tuesday, June 24, 2014, so we are targeting the area to establish Robert’s last movements”
“I would ask anyone with any information, no matter how irrelevant they think it is, to come forward.”
A spokesman for Crimestoppers said: “Somewhere out there someone knows who has committed this act, and we urge them to contact the Charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity in order to help bring the individual to justice.”
Anyone with information that can assist detectives in finding Mr Hutchinson should contact Northumbria Police on 101 ext 69191, quoting reference 410 260614, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Information will be treated in the strictest of confidence and can be passed anonymously if necessary.