Claudia Lawrence's best friend was murdered, mother reveals

The mother of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has spoken out after her daughter's best friend was murdered. 

Lisa Welford, 49, was a student at the former York College for Girls – the same school attended by Ms Lawrence. The pair were 'very close' with one another and shared a 'happy friendship' during their younger years. 

Ms Welford was murdered earlier this April after being thrown into the River Derwent by her abusive ex partner Vincent Morgan, 47. Morgan, who was found guilty of murder on Monday, had been on bail with the condition to stay away from Ms Welford when he murdered her.

Police revealed he had a 'long history' of domestic abuse and was handed three domestic violence prevention orders, which are used when there is not enough evidence to charge. 

Ms Welford's death came more than 16 years after the death of Ms Lawrence, who was reported missing after failing to turn up for work at York University on March 18, 2009. 

Claudia's disappearance was quickly treated as a murder inquiry by North Yorkshire Police and has since become one of the well-known unsolved crimes over the last two decades.

Joan Lawrence described her daughter and Ms Welford as a pair of 'angels', telling the Mirror: 'I was devastated. I felt numb with shock. How could two children that had grown up together have such terrible things happen to them.' 

She added: 'They were the best of friends from starting school. Lisa was like Claudia's shadow. They went everywhere together. They were very close and got on so well. It was such a happy friendship.' 

Ms Lawrence and Ms Welford started school together aged four and both went to St Andrews before attending York College for Girls. 

Joan said she broke down in tears when she found out that the 'little girl who had been such a big part of our lives for so long' had been killed.

Ms Lawrence's mother says she is unable to walk past the section of the River Derwent where Ms Welford died.

And in a further tragic twist to the case this year, another missing woman - mother Victoria Taylor - was also found dead after drowning in the same river. 

She also opened up about how every time she hears a local woman has gone missing or a body has been found, she panics that it is her daughter. 

Ms Welford's killer was found guilty of murder at Leeds Crown Court on Monday.

The trial heard how police were called to the River Derwent at about 11.40pm, where they found Ms Welford in the water and Morgan on the riverbank.

Ms Welford was taken to hospital after suffering head injuries, a brain bleed, fractured ribs, a fractured collar bone and a severely fractured femur. She died the next morning.

Read More

Mother, 49, 'murdered' by being thrown into the River Derwent was former school mate of missing chef Claudia Lawrence last seen in 2009

The incident occurred down a dark and unlit pathway leading from a small park along the banks of the River Derwent to the back of the town's bus station.

Morgan was also found guilty of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He will be sentenced on Wednesday.

Tributes to Ms Welford flooded in on social media following her death, with one writing: 'She really was a lovely lady would help anyone if she could, rest in peace Lisa.'

Another person added: 'Rest in peace Lisa, this is so sad to hear. I remember working with you a few years ago now and you were a a lovely lady. I'm thinking of your family at this sad time x'

York College for Girls closed in 1997 following a cash crisis and former pupils included Claudia Lawrence – who vanished in 2009. 

Although Ms Lawrence's disappearance was later treated as murder, no clues to what happened to her have ever come to light.

Officers believe that the chef - who lived in the Heworth area of York - was murdered, although no body has ever been discovered.

North Yorkshire Police has conducted two investigations and questioned nine people but no charges have ever been brought.

The last major police operation in the relation to the case was in 2021 when officers spent a number of days conducting an extensive search of flooded gravel pits at Sand Hutton, near York.

Teams of police experts, search dogs, divers and forensic archaeologists spent two weeks scouring a lake and nearby woods for potential spots where her body could have been left but nothing was found.

That same year, Claudia's father, Peter Lawrence, died aged 74. At the time of his illness, he was adamant investigators should continue looking for his daughter whatever happened to him.

Retired solicitor Mr Lawrence had tirelessly campaigned for information to try to find his daughter and had battled for legislation to help families in similar positions.

Mr Lawrence received an OBE for helping to shape the 2017 Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act.

The law, known informally as Claudia's Law, created a new legal status of guardian of the affairs of a missing person, allowing someone to act in their best interests after they have been gone for 90 days or more.

The new legislation means families can oversee the financial and property affairs of their missing loved one, if the person has been missing for 90 days - lessening what can be a huge burden at a traumatic time.

Although police believe that Claudia is dead, Ms Lawrence still maintains hope that her daughter is still alive until she has evidence to suggest otherwise.

The disappearance of Claudia Lawrence

2009

March 18 - Miss Lawrence speaks with her parents over the phone and, at 8.23pm, sends her friend a text. She has not been seen or heard from since.

March 20 - Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, contacts North Yorkshire Police after his daughter fails to keep an arrangement to meet a friend at the Nags Head pub. She also fails to attend work.

March 23 - Mr Lawrence describes his daughter's disappearance as a 'living nightmare' during a news conference in York.

April 24 - Detectives say that Miss Lawrence's disappearance is being treated as a suspected murder investigation. A £10,000 reward is offered for information that could lead to the conviction of those responsible.

2010

May 6 - Mr Lawrence calls for an urgent independent inquiry into the police investigation of his daughter's disappearance and suspected murder.

July 29 - Police confirm they are reducing the number of officers dedicated to the inquiry into Miss Lawrence's disappearance.

2013

October 29 - A new forensic search of Miss Lawrence's home is announced as police launch a fresh review of the case.

2014

March 19 - Five years on from Miss Lawrence's disappearance, officers discover at her home the fingerprints of people who have still not come forward to the investigation.

May 13 - A 59-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder. He is released on police bail and eventually released without charge on November 17, 2014.

2015

March 23 - A man in his 50s is arrested on suspicion of murdering Miss Lawrence and is released on police bail the following day.

April 22 - Three more men, all in their 50s and from the York area, are arrested on suspicion of murder and are released on bail.

September 17 - A file of evidence on four men arrested on suspicion of murder is sent by North Yorkshire Police to the Crown Prosecution service (CPS) so it can consider whether to bring charges.

2016

March 8 - Police say the CPS has decided the four men will not face charges.

2017

January 17 - Mr Lawrence says he is 'hugely depressed and disappointed' as the investigation into his daughter's disappearance is scaled down.

2019

March - Nearly a decade on from her disappearance, Miss Lawrence has still not been found. Her father says in an interview that 'it's very difficult' to conceive of her still being alive.

July - The Guardianship (Missing Persons) Bill, also known as Claudia's Law, came into force. This followed years of campaigning by Mr Lawrence and allows relatives to take control of their missing loved ones' financial matters.

2021

February 15 - The death of Peter Lawrence in announced.

March 18 - Speaking after taking over the police investigation, Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox said it is not too late for people to come forward and stop the 'unrelenting anguish' caused to the chef's loved ones.

August 24 - A new search operation is announced at the gravel pits at Sand Hutton, about eight miles from York. The search, which takes in a lake and fields, last two weeks but police later say they have found 'nothing of obvious significance'.