When Lyndon Nowell kissed his one-year-old son and said goodbye to his partner no-one could have guessed that would be the last time he was seen by his loved ones.
It is now 21 years since the 28-year-old dad-of-two disappeared in suspicious circumstances. Mr Nowell left the Kirkdale home of his partner, Joanne Riley, at around 5.30pm on Thursday, January 24, 2002.
He was seen later that night at the Coronation Pub on Childwall Valley Road between 8pm and 8.45pm, where according to reports from the time he was meeting a man who owed him a debt. Mr Nowell was seen driving away alone in a silver Ford Focus with the registration SA51 YNM, but never returned to his family.
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Cementing his disappearance as suspicious in the eyes of Merseyside Police murder detectives, the Ford Focus was found burnt out nearly 50 miles away in Blantyre Road, Swinton, in the early hours of the following morning.
Mr Nowell, 6ft3in and well built, was believed to have links to underworld figures in Liverpool. Shortly after his death, his partner Ms Riley told the ECHO: "He has got caught up with the wrong type of people, but he is a human being. What has happened was obviously planned and they are professionals."
Detectives at the time confirmed he was known to police but also stressed Mr Nowell was a dedicated "family man". A major investigation was launched in the wake of his disappearance, involving canals being dredged by police specialists and painstaking searches of woodland.
After receiving a tip a thorough search was carried out on a flat in Gateacre, and a woman arrested, but the lead soon went cold.
In 2013 it emerged that a suspect had been identified, although there had not been enough evidence to bring charges. Wayne Bassnett, 30, died after being shot in the head in Hale Village on December 22, 2010.
During the 2013 trial of a man called Michael Eves, who was charged with Mr Bassnett's murder, a jury at Chester Crown Court heard Mr Bassnett and his ex girlfriend, Paula Hodgson, had been arrested on suspicion of Lyndon's murder in 2002. Miss Hodgson told the jury that she had still been in a relationship with Mr Bassnett at the time of the arrests, and it was her flat in Gateacre that had been searched by police.
She said Mr Bassnett had gone to the police station of his own accord for questioning, but neither she nor Mr Bassnett were charged with any offences. Mr Eves was later found not guilty of Mr Bassnett's murder, which also remains unsolved.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "It is now more than 21 years on from the sudden and unexpected disappearance of Lyndon, and we continue to review the case on a regular basis via our Serious Crime Review Unit. No murder investigation is ever closed and we’re as committed as ever to get answers for Lyndon’s family.
“A lot of time has passed, but it is never too late to come forward with what may be vital details. I can assure you that all information will be acted upon and treated in confidence. If your circumstances have changed and you now feel more comfortable about speaking to us, please do so, either directly via MerPolCC 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with reference 0514238657."
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