Mystery surrounds man's murder almost 30 years on

Paul McGrath was found dead on the morning of Monday 7 April 1997 having suffered 18 stab wounds

Mystery still surrounds the death of a man murdered almost three decades ago as police remain determined to solve the case.

Paul McGrath, from Denton, in Greater Manchester, was found dead in his home on the morning of Monday 7 April 1997 having suffered 18 stab wounds in what police said was "a frenzied and targeted attack".

Two men were arrested within two weeks of the murder and went on trial the following March, but were later acquitted.

Officers said a £50,000 reward was available for anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the conviction of the person or people responsible.

'Brutally killed'

Police believe those responsible for Mr McGrath's death were searching for an acquaintance of the victim when they arrived at his home just after midnight in the early hours of Monday 7 April 1997.

At around 07:30 (BST) that same morning, the 34-year-old’s body was found at the foot of the stairs of his home on Holland Street West, after a workman, who was walking past his home, found the door slightly open and saw Paul lying dead inside the hallway.

DC Matthew Sharkey from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said: “We know there are people out there who are able to tell us what they know and what they saw all those years ago.

“It will be playing on the mind of someone who knows something, and I hope their conscience will allow them to speak to us after all this time.

“All of the work we are doing is to get Vera, Paul’s mother, to finally see her son’s killer or killers brought to justice and help a family finally come to terms with the death of their loved one."

Mr McGrath's sister, Gillian McGrath, is also urging people for their information, not just for her but also for her elderly mother Vera who is 85 years old.

She said: “I saw my mum bury her son and it was the worst thing in the world to witness.

"My mum, along with the rest of our family, goes to Paul’s grave to lay flowers on his birthday every year and we have done this for the last 27 years.

"We just wish that we knew exactly what happened to our Paul and see those who brutally killed him to be brought to justice.”