Steven murder squad search family garden
Cops scour site after parents bailed
POLICE investigating the suspected murder of a son who vanished in 1992, yesterday began searching the back garden of his family home.
The parents of Steven Clark, 23, were arrested on suspicion of his murder following a cold case review.
Doris, 81, and Charles Clark, 78, protested their innocence after being questioned at a police station and then released on bail on Wednesday.
Specialist officers scoured the garden of their neat semi, having already searched a school opposite on Thursday.
A large police presence was seen outside the £230,000 property in Marskeby-the-Sea, North Yorks, which they shared with Steven.
Tape was put across a footpath beside their house and tool s , including a concrete breaker and spades, were visible near a police van.
As the search in the garden continued, detectives were also seen going inside the property with large bags of kit as one officer stood guard on the drive.
Mr and Mrs Clark did not appear to be at home and their car was not there.
A murder inquiry was launched after detectives from the Cleveland and North Yorkshire Cold Case Unit re-examined Steven’s case and found “no proof of life”.
Steven’s parents confirmed to the Mirror they had been arrested, with Doris saying: “The absolute and utter shock, even now I cannot believe it.”
She told how her son vanished at a public toilet in nearby Saltburn while she went to the ladies.
Doris added: “We have been through 28 years wondering every day what happened to him. So for it to come to this is a complete nightmare.” Cleveland Police have also appealed for the writer of an anonymous letter sent in
1999 to come forward.