Debbie Griggs disappeared in 1999 while pregnant
(Picture: PA Media)The remains of a pregnant woman murdered by her husband more than 20 years ago have been discovered buried in a back garden in Dorset.
Debbie Griggs was reported missing from her home in the Kent seaside town of Deal by her husband Andrew Griggs in May 1999, when she was just 34 and was pregnant with the couple’s fourth child.
Her husband, Andrew Griggs, denied being responsible for her disappearance but was finally found guilty of her murder two decades later in October 2019, following a cold case review.
Two weeks ago, following a tip-off, specialist officers began excavating the back garden of a property in St Leonards, Dorset, which Mr Griggs had moved to in July 2001, after the initial investigation into Debbie’s disappearance had concluded.
There officers discovered human remains including teeth fragments.
Police confirmed on Monday that during a post-mortem on Friday, specialist odontologists were able to confirm the teeth fragments belonged to Debbie.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “It is now more than 20 years since Debbie Griggs was murdered by her husband but we have never given up hope of one day finding her remains and giving her loved ones some closure.
“Andrew Griggs denied being responsible for his wife’s disappearance but this discovery is further proof that he was lying all along, causing even greater anguish for everyone who knew and loved Debbie.
“Whilst they continue to mourn her tragic loss to this day, I hope they can take some comfort in the knowledge that she can now be laid to rest.
“We will continue to keep Debbie’s family updated on the progress of our ongoing enquiries and provide support to them at this difficult time.”
Griggs, 59 and a sailor, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years after he was found guilty of his wife’s murder following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in October 2019.
During his trial, prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC described Debbie as “a devoted mother who would not have just abandoned her children”,
Prosecutors had argued he was the person with “the most reason” to wish for Debbie to disappear, amid suspicions of him having an affair with a 15-year-old girl, as well as for business reasons.
Further tests will now be carried out on the remains found in Dorset in a bid to establish how Debbie died.
