New evidence on murder victim dumped by canal 30 years ago

Published: Wednesday, 29 March 2023

THE body of a murder victim was found dumped by the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal 30 years ago.

The body of 32 years old Carol Clark was discovered strangled and dumped by the side of the waterway in 1993, Keith Gudgin reports.

Could solve the case

Carol was last seen getting into a car in the Montpelier area of Bristol with her body discovered two days later, with Gloucestershire Police now having received new information that could solve the case.

Her  body was discovered by a dog walker in reeds and undergrowth close to the waters edge at Sharpness Docks on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal two days later, found strangled with her neck broken.

Her killer has never been found. But the police believe the new information it has received could unlock the case, with Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Usher stating:

New and significant information

"I have received new and significant information about this case and while I cannot say more at the moment without putting inquiries at risk, it is an encouraging development and one which has all my officers more determined than ever to find Carol's murderer.

"But I still need the public's help. Carol lived and worked in a very close-knit community, and it's likely that some people with information about what happened to her remained silent, perhaps through fear or misplaced loyalty.

"In the time that's passed since, allegiances and loyalties will have changed, though, so I'm asking those people to search their consciences once again, 30 years after her death, to think about the impact this continues to have on her loved ones and help bring the culprit to justice."

The family are hoping that at last this will allow some closure.