“MURD3R OR ACCIDENT?” CHILLING MYSTERY — Father’s d3:ath takes dark turn after family receives eerie letter
WHO ‘KILLED’ JOHN?
Mystery of dad killed in bridge plunge before family received chilling letter… and how they ‘know’ he was murdered
A FAMILY are convinced their beloved son was murdered – and have been fighting for over a decade to prove it.
John Merrick, a young dad, was found dead under a bridge in Wigginton, Staffordshire, on September 6, 2013.
John Merrick, a young dad, passed away in September 2013Credit: Supplied
His death was ruled as accidental, but the family hopes for his case to be reopenedCredit: Supplied
Cops have always said his death was accidental, non-suspicious and their investigation has been reviewed twice – but his family remain convinced there was foul play.
They fear someone killed the 32-year-old businessman – and have long claimed the probe needs to be reopened.
Now, John’s parents, Paul and Julie Merrick, have called for his body to exhumed.
They say a new 46-page report comissioned by the family, seen exclusively by The Sun, has cast doubt on official findings – leaving the family demanding a new review of the case.
John’s family insist they ‘won’t stop’ until they get answersCredit: Supplied
Mike Brown’s report questions inconsistencies in the police investigation and the coroner’s inquestCredit: Supplied
John’s parents have always maintained their son was a victim of a “carefully executed murder”, and previously offered a £100,000 reward to help catch his killers.
And few years after his death, the family received an anonymous letter which claimed John had been “silenced”, “knew too much” and “paid the price”.
John’s family say the new independent report by expert engineer Mike Brown casts doubt on chain of events leading to his death.
Brown’s document questions whether John had the physical ability to have hurled himself over the edge of the bridge, the position of his body on the tracks, and the nature of his injuries from the suspect train strike.
It is says while train strike was “possible” – the nature of his wounds is claimed to not be definitive.
The report argues that if a train moved John’s body after a fall, there should be clear directional marks and abrasions.
Instead, the partial limb damage described in the post-mortem does not match the level of destruction usually seen in rail impacts.
He argues the evidence does not support a “definitive” chain of events as to how John died.
John’s dad Paul told The Sun that he thinks his son’s death has never been “properly explained”, and that there is “no clear evidence he was struck by a train”.
His parents are now demanding an exhumation to prove his “real cause of death” – and are offering pay for this to be done.
He said: “We have been fighting for justice for thirteen years now for the death of our son John.
“We do not believe John’s death was accidental.”
Cops have said the evidence shows John struck the bridge with his car before then falling 30ft and being hit by a train.
He had been with a friend in a pub and then stopped to collect a to collect a takeaway in Shenstone, Staffordshire.
John then headed home to the house he shared with his fiancée Hayley Taroni and their baby son in the village of Clifton Campville.
Hayley was the last person to speak to John, who called her at 10.10pm and added the call with the remark: “I’ve got to go, I’ve got a problem”.
The inquest into his death heard John had been over the drink-drive limit – and had jumped onto the railway track to flee the scene on the crash.
In light of the new report, Paul said: “We want a full review of this case, and we want John exhumed.
“We’ve been refused time and time again, but we won’t stop.”
In a statement, Staffordshire Police said: “Our sympathies remain with John Merrick’s family following his sad death.
“We carried out an investigation into the circumstances of John’s death in September 2013, and a report was prepared for the coroner, who recorded the death as accidental.
“After a complaint was received in 2014 regarding the way John’s death was investigated, we voluntarily referred it to the then Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) (now referred to as the Independent Office for Police Conduct) who directed that it should be investigated locally.
“Following a further investigation in September that year, it was deemed the complaint was not substantiated and John’s family appealed the decision. In November 2014, the IPCC advised that they had not upheld the appeal.
“A final review of the circumstances surrounding John’s death took place in 2017 and, in line with the original investigation, it found John’s death was not suspicious.”
CRE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39363095/john-died-family-mystery-letter/
