COPS fear that a man who vanished after a pub trip was “murdered” and his body dumped in a bin – as officers scour a local landfill site.
Cumali Turhan, 45, had been at The Globe pub in Chelmsford, Essex when he disappeared in the early hours of last Tuesday (November 19).
PACumali Turhan went missing in Chelmsford, Essex on November 19[/caption]
PAPolice officers are searching a landfill site in Essex for Cumali’s body[/caption]
PAOfficers have also searched a refuse transfer site in the Chelmsford area[/caption]
Cops believe he then visited the nearby Barista restaurant, which has been the subject of a huge forensic investigation, according to Essex Police.
They are now honing in on a 5,000 square metre area at the landfill site, having already searched a separate refuse transfer site for his remains.
In an update issued today, a spokesperson for the force said: “We are exploring all possibilities to locate Cumali and this activity will now involve a detailed search of part of a landfill site in Essex.
“This specialised search activity will involve teams of officers working every day in a very challenging environment.
“We’ve identified an area of 5,000 square metres on the site where our search activity will be focused.
“We want to thank the owners of the site for their patience and understanding while this vital work is undertaken.
“It is methodical work which will take time and we will not rush it. We’re committed to finding answers for Cumali’s family.”
Last week, the force confirmed that two men had been identified as suspects in the case.
Ciprian Ilie, 44, appeared in court on Saturday (November 23), charged with assisting an offender in a murder and preventing lawful and decent burial of a dead body.
He was remanded into custody and will appear in Chelmsford Crown Court on December 23.
PAPolice have focused their attention on a Barista, a bar and restaurant on Duke Street[/caption]
BPMThe restaurant has been the subject of a forensic investigation[/caption]
BPMPolice have also investigated other properties on Duke Street, Chelmsford[/caption]
The force added that it had so far been unable to locate the second suspect.
In today’s update, the spokesperson said: “Work is ongoing to locate him.
“We know this man left the country on the day of Cumali’s disappearance and we are working with partners on progressing that aspect of the investigation.”
They also extended their condolences to concerned locals – particularly those in the Turkish community, and urged anyone with information to come forward.
They added: “We understand that this investigation will be very concerning for the local community in Chelmsford, and especially the city’s Turkish community.
“We want to thank people from across this community for coming forward to speak to us and assisting with our investigation. We still want more people to come forward.
“You will see our officers in the area, and I would urge people to come and speak to us.
“I would ask that people refrain from speculation on social media at this time.
“There is a missing man at the heart of this investigation. This is a very distressing time for his loved ones.”
PAOfficers are focusing on a 5,000 square metre area at the landfill site in Essex[/caption]
PACumali Turhan was last seen at The Globe pub on Rainsford Road in Chelmsford[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
