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Killing of Leah Croucher

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Killing of Leah Croucher
LocationMilton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England
Datec. 15 February 2019
VictimsLeah Croucher
CoronerTom Osborne
AccusedNeil Maxwell
VerdictUnlawful killing

On 15 February 2019, British teenager Leah Croucher disappeared on her morning walk to work from Emerson Valley to Knowlhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. In October 2022, Croucher's remains were found in a property in Furzton.

An inquest concluded that Croucher had been unlawfully killed on or around 15 February by Neil Maxwell, a convicted sex offender. Maxwell hanged himself in April 2019, two months after her disappearance.

Disappearance

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At approximately 08:00 GMT on 15 February 2019, 19-year-old[1] Leah Croucher left her home on Quantock Crescent in the Emerson Valley area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire to begin her two-mile (3 km) walk to her work at a direct debit collection agency in Knowlhill.[2][3] She did not arrive for her 09:00 shift and was reported missing by her parents later that evening, after not returning home from work.

Croucher was last seen on CCTV at 08:16 on Buzzacott Lane in Furzton, walking in the direction of her work.[2] Someone matching her description was seen nearby at about 08:20. Croucher's phone left the mobile network at about 08:34 and did not reconnect.[4]

Three separate witnesses reported seeing someone matching her description, between 09:30 and 11:15, walking near Furzton Lake. The witnesses said that she looked visibly upset and crying while talking on the phone. Police have not confirmed if these sightings were that of Croucher.[5]

Thames Valley Police (TVP) described Croucher as white, 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) tall, of slim build, with below-shoulder-length brown hair and sometimes wearing glasses. She was last seen dressed in a black coat, skinny black jeans and black Converse high top shoes and was carrying a small black rucksack.[6][7]

Police investigation

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In a public appeal for information to help find the missing girl, TVP released CCTV footage of Croucher. On 18 February, the police began searching Furzton Lake for evidence and continued the search for a number of days.[8] They also searched Blue Lagoon Local Nature Reserve in Water Eaton, after a report of clothing matching Croucher's.[9]

TVP officers visited more than 4,000 homes and the force deployed specialist search teams, drones and helicopters. They also used marine units and dive teams during searches of lakes across Milton Keynes.[10] Nothing was recovered during any search.[11]

On the anniversary of her disappearance, an initial reward was doubled to £10,000. Appeals for information were made in Yorkshire and Lancashire.[why?][12][13]

Murder inquiry and inquest

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On 10 October 2022, Croucher's rucksack and personal possessions were found at a property on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton, less than 1 mile (2 km) from her home.[14] A handyman had been tasked with investigating a foul smell in the property, and Croucher's remains were found concealed in plastic bags in the attic space of the house.[15][16]

Although formal identification of the remains had yet to be completed, TVP announced that they were conducting a murder inquiry.[14] On 14 October, a police spokesperson named Neil Maxwell, a convicted sex offender, as their prime suspect. Maxwell was employed to maintain the Loxbeare Drive property, and was the only person with access house at the time.[17][18] In April 2019, two months after Croucher's disappearance, Maxwell had hanged himself in a bike shed at Mainstay Court, a block of flats 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away near Campbell Park.[17][19]

In June 2024, the inquest concluded that on or around the date she went missing, Croucher had been unlawfully killed by Maxwell, likely in an "unwarranted sex attack". The cause of her death could not be determined.[15]

Media

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  • An episode of Crimewatch Live which aired in September 2019 detailed Croucher's story. The programme featured interviews with Croucher's mother as well as showing CCTV footage of her final sighting.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Missing Leah Croucher's 22nd birthday: police encourage anyone with information to come forward". 14 August 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Leah Croucher: Parents plea for missing Milton Keynes teen". BBC News. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Leah Croucher: The quiet teenager who vanished on her way to work". BBC News. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Leah Croucher: 'Potential sightings' after one-year anniversary appeal". BBC News. 9 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Missing teen Leah Croucher may have been seen upset on day she vanished". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Thames Valley Police - Search for Leah Croucher". mipp.police.uk. Thames Valley Police. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Detectives searching for missing Leah Croucher renew their appeal for help". ITV News. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Leah Croucher: Lake searched in missing teen case". BBC News. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Police investigating disappearance of Leah Croucher search Bletchley lake". ITV News. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Leah Croucher: Parents of teen who went missing a year ago plead for information". Sky News. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Leah Croucher's parents renew appeal a year after she vanished". The Guardian. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Parents of Leah Croucher issue appeal one year after she went missing". Asian Image. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ^ Bowden, Emma; Jones, Victoria (14 February 2020). "Family is missing Leah Croucher 'destroyed' after she 'vanished into thin air'". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Leah Croucher: Human remains found in missing teen murder probe". BBC News. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Leah Croucher 'unlawfully killed' by convicted sex offender". BBC News. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Leah Croucher: Body identified as missing Milton Keynes teenager". BBC News. 21 October 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Neil Maxwell: Leah Croucher murder suspect's inquest record released". BBC News. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Leah Croucher: Suspect in teen murder case is dead". BBC News. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Leah murder suspect Neil Maxwell wrote polite note warning people before he hanged himself in Milton Keynes bin cupboard". Milton Keynes Citizen. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  20. ^ "BBC One - Crimewatch Live, Series 11, Episode 13". BBC. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Missing in Milton Keynes: 20-year-old Leah Croucher". ITV. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
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