Bocking: Update in search for Martyn Richardson

We are now in a position to confirm that a body found in Bocking is 27-year-old Martyn Richardson.

Martyn had been missing since August and extensive searches had taken place over the subsequent months to find him.

Officers were called to an area of waterway near The Chase, Bocking, shortly after 12.30pm on Saturday 16 November.

An organised group of public volunteers had been leading a fresh search in the area ahead of planned police-led searches along the river the following day.

Sadly, a member of the public alerted us to a body in the water.
After further work, this body has been formally identified as Martyn.

Martyn’s family have been informed and we continue to support and update them through this hugely difficult process.

A file is being prepared for the coroner.

Inspector Phil Jackson said:

“Firstly, I pay tribute to Martyn’s family and friends, the thoughts of all of us remain with them.
“This is an awful update.
“I know all too well this is the news no-one involved in this search, particularly the family and friends of Martyn, and the wider community in Bocking, wanted to hear.
“I only hope this confirmation serves to provide some form of closure for Martyn’s loved ones."

Since Martyn went missing, we carried out extensive searches in the area he was last seen and where his bike was found.

We visited almost every street around his home address and the town centre to secure as much CCTV as possible.

Officers studied 900 different pieces of footage to try and piece together his last movements.

Checks were carried out around his finances, his phone, and his online presence to try and find clues as to where he went and what might have happened to him.

Every sighting we received was followed up and investigated, and we spoke to dozens of witnesses.

Forensic checks were carried out on his bike and other items we recovered as part of the investigation.

Our investigation into the river close to where Martyn was last seen was just an intensive, taking in the search of almost three miles of waterways.

Sadly, locating someone within water is widely acknowledged to be a hugely difficult process.

We used water search teams, kayaks, had specialists wade the length of this stretch and deployed an underwater drone. We also deployed forensic recovery dogs on rafts along the river and the bank.

This included utilising specialist resources such as the Marine Unit to search the river and our Drones Unit to search from above.

Essex Search and Rescue colleagues played a vital role in this work, providing more than 700 hours of searching covering an area of 176 hectares.

Through our appeals and sharing the information we gathered throughout the search , the support of the public in continuing to keep Martyn’s case in the public eye was invaluable.

Inspector Jackson said:

“I want to recognise the role and tireless involvement of volunteers and search groups in this search, led by Martyn’s friends and family.
“It was their search and their efforts which led to the final discovery of Martyn’s body.
“I acknowledge, wholeheartedly thank and praise these volunteers for their vital role in providing the family with closure in this case.
“In the face of this incredibly challenging time for them personally, Martyn’s family supported our work and treated my officers with grace and understanding while we searched.
“All of us share our condolences, and our thoughts remain with Martyn’s friends and family.”