The brother of Suzy Lamplugh, an estate agent who went missing 40 years ago, believes that a potential clue to her mysterious disappearance may be found in a book authored by a suspected killer. Suzy Lamplugh disappeared on July 28, 1986, and was later declared dead, presumed murdered. Her family has been searching for closure ever since, with a desire to scatter her ashes in a meaningful location close to their hearts.
The man commonly believed to be responsible for Suzy’s disappearance, John Cannan, recently passed away at the age of 70 without revealing any information that could provide closure to the Lamplugh family. Despite this, Suzy’s brother, Richard Lamplugh, harbours a glimmer of hope that Cannan may have left a clue in one of the books he wrote while in prison. Richard suggests that someone else might uncover incriminating evidence in the books, but he himself is not willing to read them.
Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance in 1986 was marked by an appointment in her diary to meet a “Mr Kipper” for a house viewing in Fulham, London. She was last seen on that day, but her car was found abandoned near the property with the keys left in the ignition. Richard Lamplugh, reflecting on his sister’s warm nature and the missed opportunity of her becoming a mother, acknowledges the unlikelihood of being able to scatter her ashes.
However, Suzy’s legacy lives on through the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a charity founded in her honour by her parents, Paul and Diana, who received OBEs for their efforts in 1992. Despite the family’s acceptance that they may never find closure regarding Suzy’s disappearance, the charity continues its work in raising awareness of personal safety.
In the aftermath of Suzy’s disappearance, numerous clairvoyants claimed they could locate her, while John Cannan was eventually convicted of another woman’s murder but was never charged in connection to Suzy’s case. The Lamplugh family continues to hold onto hope that a potential clue left behind by Cannan in a book might shed light on the truth behind Suzy’s disappearance.