ONE of the UK’s oldest missing persons cases has been solved – as a woman who disappeared from her home as a schoolgirl was found 50 years later.
But what happened to Sheila Fox after she disappeared aged 16 remains a mystery.
Sheila went missing in 1972 and was last seen in the center of Coventry.
She then disappeared from all public records for the next five decades.
But officers today announced that the missing woman had been found safe and well – and was living in another part of the country.
It comes after West Midlands Police found a photograph of Sheila from around the time she disappeared – and issued a fresh appeal to help find her.
This resulted in members of the public coming forward with valuable information within just a few hours.
Sheila’s discovery welcomes the conclusion of one of the longest missing persons investigations in the force’s history, a spokesman said.
Detective Sergeant Jenna Shaw added: “We are absolutely delighted to have found Sheila after more than five decades.
“We searched through every piece of evidence we could find and managed to locate Sheila’s photograph.
“We are a small team of officers and I would like to acknowledge DC Shaun Reeve who was able to solve this case with the help of the public.
“Every missing person has a story, and their families and friends deserve to know what happened to them and hopefully be reunited with them.”
Andrew McAuley’s last call to 911 before he disappeared
Before Sheila was found, officers were investigating the possibility that she had changed her name – or injured herself.
The spokesman added: “Sheila’s parents are now believed to be dead, so we hope that anyone who knows what happened to her will get in touch with us and let us know.”
The discovery comes as another cold case from the same period, involving the gruesome murder of a teenage girl, could finally be solved after 50 years, according to a criminologist.
The naked body of Jacqueline Johns was discovered near Battersea Power Station in south-west London in 1973 – but her killer was never caught.
The 16-year-old’s shoes were left at the scene and criminologist David Wilson believes modern forensics could provide “possibilities that were not available at the time”.
He said potential soil samples from the shoes could lead to new lines of inquiry into the case.
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Sheila Fox disappeared aged 16 in 1972. Credit: SWNS
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