1986 | London, England | Disappearance / Probable Murder | Unsolved
TLDR
On July 28, 1986, estate agent Suzy Lamplugh left her London office to show a property to a client called “Mr. Kipper.” She never came back. Her body has never been found. The prime suspect, convicted rapist John Cannan, has never been charged with her murder.
The Case
Suzy Lamplugh was 25 years old and worked for Sturgis estate agents in Fulham, southwest London. On the morning of July 28, 1986, she wrote in her diary that she had a viewing appointment with a “Mr. Kipper” at 37 Shorrolds Road in Fulham. She left the office at 12:40 p.m. A colleague saw her get into a light-colored BMW outside. She was never seen again.
Her car was found that afternoon, less than a mile from the property, unlocked, with her purse still inside. There was no sign of a struggle. Whatever happened to Suzy happened quickly.
The investigation that followed became one of the Metropolitan Police’s most prominent missing persons cases. Thousands of leads were followed. The name “Mr. Kipper” was run against every database available. Nothing.
In 2000, Scotland Yard named John Cannan as the prime suspect. Cannan, a convicted rapist and murderer who was in prison for the murder of Shirley Banks, had lived near the Fulham property at the time of Suzy’s disappearance. His nickname in prison was “Kipper.” He had been released from prison on the day Suzy disappeared for a weekend furlough.
Cannan has always denied any involvement. He has never been charged.
In 2021, police excavated a garden in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, following a tip that Suzy’s remains might be there. The dig found bones, but they could not be identified as human. No charges resulted.
Suzy Lamplugh was officially declared dead in 1994. The case remains open. Her mother, Diana, founded the Suzy Lamplugh Trust in her daughter’s name, which became one of Britain’s leading personal safety charities.
Where to Find More
- Documentaries: Multiple BBC and ITV documentaries have examined the case over the decades. The 2021 excavation generated significant news coverage available online.
- Books: A Little Bit of Hope by Diana Lamplugh (1994) tells the family’s story. Several true crime books covering British cold cases include detailed chapters on Suzy.
- Podcasts: Casefile True Crime and multiple UK true crime podcasts have covered Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance. Available on major platforms.
