DNA hope in 20yr hunt for Linda’s killer
Frenchman ‘thought he was fast-moving animal’
VICTIM Mum Linda Bryant DETECTIVES probing the 20-year-old murder of a mum-of-two have now developed a partial DNA profile for her attacker.
Linda Bryant, 40, was walking her pet lurcher on a country lane when she was stabbed to death in October 1998.
Police have re-examined more than 100 pieces of evidence from the scene in Ruan High Lanes, Cornwall, to create the profile.
It has been searched on the national database but no match was found.
Linda’s daughter Lee Taylor, 41, made a fresh appeal for information.
She said: “I know it’s been 20 years and people think, ‘well, what are they going to do now, it’s so long ago’, but they [police] have new forensic evidence – all they need is a name.” A HUNTER has shot dead a British mountain biker at a French resort after “mistaking him for a fastmoving animal”.
The victim, named locally as Marc Sutton, 34, is thought to have died instantly after he was hit in thick woodland at around 6pm on Saturday.
The 22-year-old hunter, who has a gun licence, reportedly went into “deep shock” after realising what had happened. He is being probed for aggravated manslaughter and could face jail.
An investigating source said: “The victim was on a popular and well-used track. It may be that he was mistaken for a fast-moving animal.” A party of seven hunters are thought to have failed to spot the rider, who was wearing a brightly coloured helmet, near the ski resort of Montriond in the French Alps.
Marc, originally from Caerphilly, South Wales, ran restaurant Wild Beets Kitchen in Les Gets, near Morzine, plus a catering firm. Locals yesterday paid tribute to the “nice chap”, with one saying: “This is devastating. So very sad for Marc and everyone with him.”
Others have launched a campaign for tighter hunting regulations in the region.
Hunting accidents are common in France, where 113 incidents – including 13 fatalities – were recorded in the 2017-18 season. Hunters targeting wild boar and deer can use most of the leisure paths in the area all weekend in hunting season, from the start of September.
Chalet owner Antonia Chapple, 47, said: “Marc has been out here for a while and is a very keen mountain biker. It’s a huge tragedy. There are very few places where you can go mountain biking or walking safely during hunting season.
“People tend to go out anyway as they have their dogs to walk and bikes to ride. We know there is a risk but there are not enough areas that are safe.”
The Foreign Office said: “We are in contact with the local authorities about the death of a British man in France and providing assistance to his family.” SHOOTING RISKS The Montriond area