Ashley Dighton: Family's plea for information over death

Ashley Dighton's headless body was found covered in branches a month after his disapperance

The family of a man whose headless body was found 15 years ago are appealing for help to find out how he died.

Ashley Dighton, 19, was last seen on 11 June 2007 at a supermarket in Simone Weil Avenue, Ashford, Kent.

His remains were found near the store a month later and no-one has ever been prosecuted over his death.

Now his sister wants to find his missing remains so he can be buried whole, with Kent Police saying the investigation will remain open.

Shawny Dighton believes her brother was killed after being drawn into drug dealing.

She said: "I reckon they've gone to Ashley, realised he wanted a better life and told him 'this is the way to get some money'."

Shawny Dighton believes her brother died after becoming involved in drug dealing

Det Ch Insp Dave Withers, of Kent Police, said aspects of the investigation make him believe the case can be solved.

He said: "However Ashley's come to die, there's been definite attempts to hide his body, removing his clothes when the body's in an advanced state of decomposition, that's really unusual."

Ms Dighton added: "You've got to be nasty to decapitate someone, and to take off all their fingers, and to strip a body naked and to do it when it's decomposing."

Ashley was caught on CCTV leaving a shopping centre in Ashford just before he vanished

An inquest into Mr Dighton's death in December 2008 recorded an open verdict.

Ashford Coroner's Court heard his body was found covered with branches and one of his ribs and his T-shirt had been removed and placed in a plastic bag.

Mr Dighton's body was so badly decomposed the pathologist could not determine a cause of death.

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