In a chilling development, police have initiated a "no-body" murder investigation following the vanishing of Julie Buckley, 54, from the serene enclave of Christchurch in Cambridgeshire. The local resident has not been spotted since the latter part of January, prompting authorities to suspect foul play.
The case took a sinister turn as detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit officially branded it a no-body murder inquiry on February 15. A 47 year old man from Christchurch is currently in police custody on suspicion of murder, intensifying the sombre mood among villagers.
In their ongoing efforts, Detective Inspector Richard Stott made a public appeal: "We are trying to piece together Julie’s movements before she disappeared so I would appeal for anyone who has seen her in the past few weeks to get in touch."
He urged those in nearby areas where Julie has connections—March, Manea, and Chatteris—to come forward with any potentially pertinent information.
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As the quest for answers continues, DI Stott confirmed communication with Julie's family: "We are in touch with family of Julie and specially trained officers are keeping them up to date on the police inquiry at this very difficult time."
Despite hopes of finding Julie alive diminishing, police are forging ahead, treating her disappearance as a murder due to evidence suggesting she likely suffered "serious harm."
Anyone with information or who has seen Julie is strongly encouraged to get in touch with the police through their dedicated portal, or by dialling 101 and referencing Operation Dragonfish.