Detectives have employed digital tools in a “root and branch” review of the 1996 unsolved murder of the 25-year-old as they focus on less than 20 potential suspects
Detectives have launched a new probe into the murder of Melanie Hall – whose body was found years after she vanished on a night out – and hope AI technology will snare her killer.
Melanie, 25, was last seen by a friend sitting on a stool near the dancefloor of what was Cadillacs nightclub in Bath at 1.10am on June 9, 1996. Her remains were not discovered until October 2009, wrapped in rope and bin bags, 28 miles north, near a sliproad on to the M5 motorway near Thornbury, Glos.
It is one of the longest running murder investigations in the country, having remained open and live continuously for nearly 30 years. Detectives at Avon and Somerset Police have now begun a “root and branch” review of the case, digitising the contents of 90 crates of evidence so they can analyse it with the latest technology.
A pool of under 100 “persons of interest” has been whittled down to less than 20 and officers are re-interviewing alibi witnesses to see if they stand by their stories. Det Chief Insp Ben Lavender, who is leading the cold case team, said he believes the answers to solving the mystery lie in the archives.
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“With the advancements in AI in the coming years, I am sure it will give us another way of looking into the data that we have got again in intelligent ways. I’m hoping that by having all the information on the systems on computer will allow us to do those checks again,” Mr Lavender said.
Artificial intelligence can be helpful in identifying potential leads in cold cases where vast amounts of material has been amassed including CCTV footage, emails and witness statements. One test showed it was able to review the evidence in 27 complex cases in just 30 hours – which it is estimated would have taken a detective up to 81 years to complete.
The investigation into Melanie’s murder, codenamed Operation Denmark, has involved 400 officers over the years and includes at least 96 hours of CCTV. Mr Lavender said: “Because we have reviewed all the suspects and people who have come into the investigation again, we have now created a database to allow us to review that CCTV again. “So what we are going to start doing is a physical search of that CCTV using humans and see where we get to but I don’t rule out using AI.”
Specialist officers will examine the footage for any sightings of Melanie that might have been missed and for any sign of 36 vehicles now linked to the potential suspects. Mr Lavender said his team has carried out a complete review of the case, going “back from the beginning”.
Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the case over the years but no one has been charged.
Melanie had a degree in psychology and was doing a temporary clerical job at the Royal United hospital in Bath while living with her parents, Steve and Pat, eight miles from Bath in Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts. On the evening she vanished, England had drawn 1-1 with Switzerland in the first game of Euro 96.
Melanie had been left alone in the club after her German doctor boyfriend, and a couple they had been out with, went home. One witness saw a woman who fitted her description at around 1.20am sitting on an armchair chatting to a tanned man in a brown silk shirt, black trousers and black shoes.
The woman left at 1.45am with the man following behind her up the stairs to the exit, the witness said. Police have launched a fresh appeal to find that man and have issued a new colour version of an e-fit released at the time.
Mr Lavender said: “He was described as being very smart looking. If that person was you or you recognise that description then please let us know.”
The man was white, mid to late 20s, 5ft 10in, of medium build, with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and was clean shaven.
On the night she disappeared Melanie was wearing a pale blue silk dress, black suede mule shoes, a cream singlebreasted long-sleeved jacket and carrying a black satchel-type handbag. They have never been found.
Melanie’s remains were discovered thirteen years after she vanished by the northbound slip road leading on the M5 at junction 14 heading towards Gloucester. Mr Lavender said it was a “strange” place to leave a body as there were more secluded spots nearby.
“So it’s a mystery for us that we would really like help with understanding. The key to unlocking it is the suspect potentially could have links northbound and to Bath and drawing in on that would be really interesting,” the officer said.
Melanie had suffered a fractured skull and reportedly had a broken jaw and cheek bone, suggesting she had been subjected to a frenzied assault by a killer in a rage. She was naked and had been tightly bound in a number of bin bags, secured by a 13-metre length of 4mm thick blue, nylon rope.
The fact her clothes had been removed suggests that her killer was forensically aware. A partial DNA profile has been recovered from the rope and the bags and a forensic review is currently looking at the items afresh.
Mr Lavender said of the items: “Both of those are key exhibits for us to look at exploiting all the new technology out there to see what could be found on them.”
Among the persons of interest is double convicted murderer Christopher Halliwell who abducted two women from outside nightclubs 27 miles away in Swindon. Halliwell, 61, is currently serving a whole life sentence for the murders of Sian O’Callaghan, 22, and Becky Godden Edwards, 20, who were both abducted in vehicles after leaving nightclubs.
Like Melanie, they too were young and small, had been stripped and were dumped in rural locations in neighbouring police force areas after being abducted in urban locations. Melanie and Sian both suffered brutal head injuries.
Mr Lavender said of Halliwell: “He’s a person who’s killed in close proximity so we are considering all people who would be relevant to the investigation. He’s not a strong line of inquiry for us and so I wouldn’t put him above anyone else.”
The Operation Denmark team are intensifying their work as they focus on the 30th anniversary of Melanie’s murder. “None of us wanted to be here now, having not solved this and brought some comfort to the family and answers but we are, and so we are using this year as a significant milestone to reapply to the public,” Mr Lavender said.
Detectives suspect a former girlfriend, friend or flatmate may have been harbouring information that could solve the case and will be reinterviewing alibi witnesses.
The officer said: “Somebody knows what happened to Melanie whether that’s just the person who killed her or they’ve told somebody else, or somebody else witnessed something on the evening, maybe someone returned acting suspiciously, blood was seen, anything like that, is really important to us.”
And in a direct appeal to Melanie’s killer, Mr Lavender warned: “We are still investigating this and how this plays out now for the killer is really down to them.
“If they want to control the narrative and have those conversations with their loved ones and their family before we come knocking on their door then they’ve got that opportunity because as soon as we come for you the next time you have a conversation with your family may be in a prison establishment.”
Call 101 and ask for Avon and Somerset Constabulary and say you have information relating to Operation Denmark, or provide information through the dedicated appeal on the Major Incident Public Portal here: Public Portal
Crimestoppers can also be contacted on 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
