Leah Croucher murder inquiry: Commissioner requests police review

Leah Croucher, who competed internationally in taekwondo, was last seen by family in February 2019

The police force that investigated the disappearance of Leah Croucher has been asked to review the original missing persons case following the launch of a murder inquiry.

Matthew Barber, the police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, requested a review from the chief constable.

The 19-year-old was last seen in February 2019.

Human remains were found in the loft of a house in Milton Keynes this week.

Police suspect convicted sex offender Neil Maxwell killed teenager Leah Croucher

Thames Valley Police named Neil Maxwell, who is now dead, as the prime suspect.

"Given the time that has passed, questions have inevitably been raised about the earlier investigation and there is an understandable desire for more information," said Mr Barber.

"None of the information I have received so far leads me to conclude that there were shortcomings in the earlier missing persons investigation.

"Nevertheless, I have requested that the chief constable presents me with a review of the case in order to determine if any further inquiry is required."

Police say 2 Loxbeare Drive was never linked to her disappearance until Monday

Leah Croucher, 19, was last seen on CCTV on 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes

Miss Croucher, described as shy, witty and funny by her family, was last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent, Milton Keynes, at 22:00 GMT on 14 February 2019.

Officers said they searched a house in Loxbeare Drive, Furzton, on Monday, following a tip-off from someone who carried out maintenance at the address.

The force said the house was owned by someone who lived overseas and who was not in the UK at the time Miss Croucher went missing.

Neil Maxwell, however, was employed at the time of the disappearance to carry out maintenance at the house.

The 49-year-old was a convicted sex offender and was found dead on 20 April 2019, having taken his life.

Matthew Barber said no information so far "leads me to conclude that there were shortcomings" in the investigation

Det Ch Supt Ian Hunter said at a press conference on Friday that the tip-off was the first time the address had been linked to the property.

He confirmed that number two Loxbeare Drive was visited on at least two occasions during door-to-door inquiries in the search, but there was no answer.

Mr Barber said: "If mistakes have been made I will ensure a thorough review of the missing persons investigation, but I must stress that this will be evidence-led and so far I have seen nothing to suggest any reasonable lines of enquiry were missed."

He added that "my thoughts are with Leah's family as they come to terms with this heart-breaking news".

Leah Croucher: A timeline

CCTV footage showed the last confirmed sighting of Leah Croucher walking to work on the day she disappeared

• 14 February 2019: Leah Croucher is last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent, Milton Keynes at 22:00 GMT

• 15 February 2019: CCTV footage shows her walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton at 08:16. She was thought to be going to her job at a finance company, but she never arrived

• April 2019: Thames Valley Police says three people had reported possible sightings of Miss Croucher near Furzton Lake between 09:30 and 11:15, on the day she went missing

• October 2019: A two-week search by Thames Valley Police of a lake and surrounding area at the Blue Lagoon nature reserve in Bletchley finds nothing

• 15 February 2021: On the second anniversary of her disappearance, police say there are "no significant leads" and the case is "bewildering and frustrating"

• 12 October 2022: Police open a murder investigation after unidentified human remains and a rucksack containing personal possessions belonging to Leah are found in the loft of a home on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton

• 14 October 2022: Neil Maxwell, a deceased sex offender, is named as the prime suspect in the case by police