Suzy Lamplugh's brother says 'no closure' as Birmingham killer takes secrets to the grave

Suzy Lamplugh's brother said the prime suspect in her disappearance could have given her family "closure" by revealing where he buried her body. Richard Lamplugh said the death of convicted killer John Cannan was "no loss to society" but he had wanted to scatter his sister's ashes at the same location as those of his parents.

He spoke to BirminghamLive after Cannan, from Sutton Coldfield, died in prison aged 70 yesterday, Wednesday, November 6. Cannan repeatedly denied any involvement in the Lamplugh case after the 25-year-old estate agent vanished having attended a property viewing with a "Mr Kipper" in Fulham, west London, in 1986.

She was declared dead eight years later. Cannan was jailed for life with a minimum of 35 years in 1989 for the rape and murder of Bristol newlywed Shirley Banks, along with a further sexual offence, an attempted kidnapping and two offences of abduction with intent to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse.

READ MORE: Prime suspect in murder of Suzy Lamplugh dies in jail

An artist’s impression of Mr Kipper bears an uncanny resemblance to Cannan. And he was allegedly know as Kipper by some prison inmates as he served earlier sentences before the Lamplugh case.

Although excavations were carried out over the decades, including at the former home of Cannan's mother in Sutton Coldfield in 2018, Suzy's body has never been found. Mr Lamplugh said he would have "loved to have had known" the location of her remains before Cannan died.

Reacting to his death, he said: "I have mixed emotions. I don't really care for the man himself, I've never met him, I don't know him and I think he's done horrible things anyway so really, as far as I'm concerned, it's not a loss to society.

"But where I do feel is that if he did kill Suze, and that's an if - not a big one, the police think he did so I'm happy to think that way as well - then it would have been lovely to have just told us where he put the body. That is what I really would have loved to have known - that would then be a bit of closure definitely for us as a family, especially my mum and dad would have dearly loved to have had some closure like that.

"We've left a legacy with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust but really it would have been lovely to have had a body just to cremate and scatter her ashes where we put my mum and dad's. But we don't."

Mr Lamplugh continued: "If he's left some information somewhere, it would be lovely to have. I gather there was a possibility he was writing a book in jail, maybe he's put something down there.

"I gather it's all fiction but he might have left some clues to where he buried Suze or left Suze. It would be lovely if it could be given to the police and see if there's anything that could point to where the body was."

In 2022, Cannan faced a parole board for possible freedom as he had served his minimum prison term. His potential release was, at the time, one of the biggest worries for the family.

Confirming the family never had contact from Cannan, Mr Lamplugh said: "When he did such awful things to other women, he didn't really deserve to be free. I was really pleased the parole board saw that way as well and he stayed inside which was wonderful."

Cannan was said to be 'on his deathbed' and receiving end-of-life care in prison from 2022. Mr Lamplugh said: "I must admit, I'm surprised how long he's lasted. I didn't want them to let him out because they were thinking he should be let out because he was ill - that was my chief worry.

"I really felt he was a dangerous man who could probably go ahead and do something to other women and you know, take it out on society. He liked having the information and I felt he kept hold of whereabouts Suze was to himself - information is power and I think that's what he felt. But I'm not a psychologist."

Asked whether the family maintained hopeful Suzy would one day be discovered, he said: "We haven't found her yet in 38 years and there's a good chance we're not going to. Obviously if we do find her, that would be brilliant. But you never say never."

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Full Sutton prisoner John Cannan died on November 6. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust runs The National Stalking Helpline; a free service offering advice for victims of stalking. If you've been affected by stalking, you can read more about the helpline here.