Jesse Richards: Plea to locate murder victim's body 14 years on

Police believe Jesse Richards' body was taken to Warwickshire where it was hidden

Detectives have re-appealed for information to locate the body of a man killed in a "merciless and sustained attack" over drugs debt 14 years ago.

Jesse Richards was killed in Evesham, Worcestershire on 31 July 2009 and police believe his body was taken to Warwickshire where it was hidden.

Five men were jailed over his death in 2012 and a £10,000 reward for information remains on offer.

His mother Lucy urged anyone who knew anything to contact police.

"I am not getting any younger and it worries me that I will never be able to properly recover him and be at peace," she said.

'Still committed'

"I have added his name to his father's headstone because that is all I have that I can visit but it's not the same.

"His loss is still as raw as it was 14 years ago, but while I and my family will clearly never forget him, not being able to lay him to rest properly increases the pain we face every day."

She said she hoped someone "will have the decency to put me out of my misery" and provide enough detail to police to enable his body to be recovered, adding "I must cling on to that hope as it's all I have".

Mr Richards' killers have since been released from prison, West Mercia Police said.

Det Sgt Gareth Evans said: "Despite the time that has passed, we're still committed to finding Jesse's body and help bring his family some closure.

"We know Jesse was killed in a brutal attack over a drugs debt, and while drugs were involved, neither Jesse nor his family deserved this."