High-risk missing man found dead - Lancashire Constabulary, October 2018

On 10 October 2018 a man stabbed his ex-wife several times before setting the car she was in on fire. He absconded from the crime scene before Lancashire Constabulary police officers arrived. The man was wanted by Lancashire Constabulary for attempted murder. A parallel high-risk missing person investigation was also launched.

On 17 October 2018 a Police Search Advisor search was conducted in the surrounding parameters of the man’s home address. A body was discovered in a body of water within the search parameters, which was confirmed to be that of the man wanted by Lancashire Constabulary.

During our investigation we reviewed the grading assigned to the missing man against the guidance and policies Lancashire Constabulary use and made enquiries to ensure policy had been followed correctly in how the investigation was progressed to locate the man.

Evidence showed that both investigations led by Lancashire Constabulary to locate the man were constantly active. A large amount of police resources were deployed and appropriate enquiries made to locate him as soon as possible. There is insufficient evidence to suggest the date the man died, however, enquiries continued until he was found. There was no evidence to suggest the police or any police action or omission may have caused or contributed to the man’s death.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence.

We completed our investigation in March 2019, but waited until the inquest into the man’s death had completed to publish our findings. The inquest recorded a conclusion of suicide.