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Steel, Debbie December 28, 1997; Ely England 37 YO
Topic Started: Dec 28 2007, 02:39 PM (399 Views)
monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_ho...e.asp?id=244514

Final appeal in missing woman's case

TEN years ago today (Friday, 28 December) landlady Debbie Steel walked out of her pub and she has never been seen since.

Her disappearance from the Royal Standard in Ely on December 28, 1997, sparked an intensive nationwide hunt, including forensic searches of her home, TV appeals and thousands of posters of her face appeared on the London Underground.

But it yielded little. One unconfirmed sighting had her leaving Ely train station on the day that she went missing and another had her boarding a bus in Birmingham six months later.

Now police have launched a last-ditch appeal for information on the 10th anniversary of her disappearance.

Detective Chief Insp Chris Mead, who manages Cambridgeshire police's long-term case unit, said: "This is really the final appeal for any information.

"We've had no new information for many years now. We will pull out cases periodically to review cases in light of new leads or advances in technology which might yield more evidence.

"And sometimes people's consciences get the better of them after many years and they confess. But there is no compelling evidence to reopen the case."

She was 37 when she went missing from the Greene King pub that she ran in Forehill with her former partner Brian McDermott following an argument with him.

But Mr McDermott did not fear the worst until days later as he said it was not unusual for her to go away for a week or two without telling anyone.

The exhaustive police search stretching from Cambridgeshire to London and her home county of Kent led to no further clues.

A year later, detectives and Debbie's family said they "feared the worst" for her.

Det Serg Paul Harding, who was part of the original investigation team but retired three years ago, said the case had baffled them.

He said: "It was very strange - she vanished without a trace. When she was reported missing, there was nothing suspicious at that stage. But after a few days things started to look bad. It was highly unusual that there was no access to her bank account and there was no sign of her on CCTV.

"There was an argument but it was nothing to suggest she might never come back."

Speaking to the News last year, Brian McDermott, who has now moved away from the area, said: "I'm reminded of Debbie constantly and still wonder why she went missing. I don't know if she's alive, but I do hope she is. People ask about her and her dad visits from time to time and we talk, but none of us can come up with an answer. We would all just like to know what happened."

Debbie is one of five missing people in Cambridgeshire whose long-term disappearance is unexplained. Between them, they have been missing for more than half a century.

Others include Mei Dei, of Cambridge, who was last seen on Round Church Street in the city, when aged 17, in 2002 and Davina McMillan, then aged 36, who vanished from her home in Hayling Close, Godmanchester, nearly 13 years ago.

The longest unexplained disappearance is Andrew Bedford, from Ramsey, who went missing, aged 30, more than 16 years ago.

Debbie, last seen wearing a dark Parka-style raincoat, brown jeans and brown boots, was 37 when she vanished. This year she would be 47.

Anyone with any information about this case should contact DCI Chris Mead on 0845 4564564 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Name: Debbie Steel
Home Address: Langfields, Ely
Age: 37
Date Missing: 28/12/97
Last Sighting: 8pm on Sunday 28/12/97
Height: 5ft 6"
Build: Medium build
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Ash-blonde long hair
Clothing: Brown jeans, brown boots, possibly yellow top and a dark coloured Parka-style rain coat.
Contact: Cambridgeshire Police 0845 456 456 4



Terms and conditions | Privacy Policy | © 2006 Cambridgeshire Constabulary
http://www.cambs.police.uk/newsappeals/mis...rofile.asp?ID=3

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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In memory of those who are still missing.This is a local case for me, I remember reading about the mysterious disappearance of Debbie Steel, who ran a pub in Ely, Cambridgeshire with her former partner Brian McDermott. She vanished in December 1997 aged 37.

I remember police digging up the immediate area and scouring the neighbourhood. They also checked CCTV in Ely and on the London underground in case she had gone to visit family there. Nothing has ever been heard since she vanished, though one man reported a possible sighting of her at Ely railway station.

Brian still thinks of Debbie and wonders what happened to her:

“I’m reminded of Debbie constantly and still wonder what happened and why she went missing. It’s a limbo. I don’t know if she’s alive, but I do hope she is.

“I try to make sense of her disappearance, but we’re still looking for an answer. People ask about her and her dad visits from time to time and we talk, but none of us can come up with an answer.

“We’d just like to know what happened now.”

In memory of those who are still missing.

http://elleeseymour.com/2007/07/19/the-missing-debbie-steel/
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Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightEuro...opic=2730&st=0&
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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