Detectives have relaunched an appeal to trace the killer of a teenage girl – exactly 20 years ago today since she disappeared.
Lindsay Jo Rimer’s body was found in Rochdale Canal five months after her last known sighting.
She left her home at Hebden Bridge at 10.22pm on November 7, 1994, to buy cornflakes at the Spa shop on Crown Street.
She was never seen alive again.
Watch CCTV of Lindsay in the shop below.
Her body was found in the Rochdale canal five months later. She had been murdered.
Two decades on and despite repeated appeals, her killer remains at large - and her family are hoping police can catch her killer and bring them to justice.
Det Supt Simon Atkinson from the Protective Services Department, said: “Someone, somewhere knows what happened to Lindsay and I am appealing directly to that person to come forward and help me bring closure to Lindsay’s grieving family.
“For 20 years Lindsay’s family have had to live with the pain and the hurt of not knowing what happened to her as her killer continues to enjoy his or her liberty.
“Every time they pass someone in the street they might be thinking – ‘was it him’ or ‘was it her’. The pain of losing a loved one in this way has caused them immeasurable suffering and not knowing who did this makes it even worse.
“Lindsay was a young girl with her whole life ahead of her and no-one knows what she could have become – her killer or killers took that away from her.”
To help the appeal police have reconstructed the events of Lindsay’s last known movements.
Det Supt Atkinson said: “Over the years loyalties change. You may have had suspicions about a friend or a loved one back in 1994 but never came forward out a misguided sense of loyalty. I am appealing directly to you to come forward.
“The information may seem trivial to you but could be the final piece in the jigsaw needed to catch a killer.
“We are looking to spread the message as far and wide as possible, by using traditional and less traditional media to have the maximum impact possible.
“I would urge everyone to watch the video and, where possible, to join in by retweeting our messages.”
Det Supt Atkinson added: “After buying the cornflakes Lindsay paused briefly at the Trades Club on Holme Street where she met her mum before buying the cornflakes.
“All we know is that Lindsay’s body was found five months later on Wednesday April 12, 1995, with the ultimate indignity to her and to her family of her body being left to rot in a watery grave. Someone prepared to do this doesn’t deserve any protection. It is time they were brought to justice.”
For the first time ever the force is using a ‘tweeconstruction’ to help spread the message. A ‘tweeconstruction’ is a reconstruction of the case and appeal using the social media platform, twitter. It will start at 11.15am on Friday 7 November.
“We are looking to spread the message as far and wide as possible, by using traditional and less traditional media to have the maximum impact possible,” said Det Supt Atkinson. “I would urge everyone to watch the video and, where possible, to join in with our tweeconstruction by retweeting our messages.”
Click here to follow the tweeconstruction.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call detectives directly on 01924 334604 or text on 07786 200805. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
