Killer would be interviewed if alive, say police
SERIAL killer Fred West would be interviewed by police investigating the disappearance of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in 1968 if he was still alive, a senior detective has said.
Police are due to begin excavating the cellar of a cafe in Gloucester after finding “possible evidence” suggesting the body Mary Bastholm might be buried there.
Forensic archaeologists have been undertaking exploratory work at the Clean Plate cafe in Southgate Street in connection with the disappearance of the teenager who was last seen alive in January 1968.
Gloucestershire Police had received possible evidence from a TV production company to suggest the body of the missing girl could be buried at the location.
One of the findings presented to police was a photo taken by the production company of what appeared to be blue material buried in one area of the cellar. Mary was wearing a blue dress and blue coat and had a blue bag with her when she went missing.
Forensic archaeologists have confirmed that there are a number of structural anomalies within the cellar that warrant further exploration and six voids in the floor will be examined.
Detective Chief Inspector John Turner, who is leading the investigation, said West was a regular at the cafe – then called the Pop-In – and knew Mary as she worked there as a waitress.
“Fred West was always indicated as being involved in Mary’s disappearance and possibly her death,” Mr Turner said.
“We will be searching the basement to find out what, if anything, is there. If anything is found we will carry out a forensic review and we will look to seek people within the investigation that we need to interview.
“If Fred were alive, undoubtedly he would be interviewed around the disappearance of Mary.”
Yesterday, police were seen carrying objects including a number of wooden doors out of the cafe. The force has confirmed that excavation work could begin today.
Serial killer West, who died in prison in 1995 aged 53, was previously suspected over Mary’s disappearance.
“He is the only one who really knows if he had involvement in Mary’s death,” Mr Turner said.
When Mary disappeared, West was living with his first wife Rena at a caravan site at Bishop’s Cleeve, near Cheltenham – close to where a teenage Rose West was living with her parents.
Mr Turner said his “understanding” was that Mary’s disappearance in
January 1968 happened before Fred had met Rose – but he did not rule out speaking to her in prison.
“As and when we know more, I will then consider whether people need to be interviewed and spoken to and Rose West may be one of those people,” he said.
The Wests tortured, raped and murdered an unknown number of women over a 20-year period.
Mary’s disappearance in 1968 was at a time when builder West was abducting girls in Gloucester.
West is said to have confessed to killing Mary in conversation with his son, Stephen, but never admitted it to police.
Detectives have recently spoken to Stephen West, Mr Turner said.
“There is no evidence at this time to link Fred West with Mary’s disappearance although he did tell his son Steve West just before he died that he had murdered Mary,” he said.