Kyle Vaughan murder: Terminally ill mum's final appeal

A terminally ill mother has made a final plea to her son's killers to tell her where his remains are buried.

Kyle Vaughan, from Newbridge, Caerphilly county, vanished on 30 December 2012.

Gwent Police has searched extensively for him, made several arrests, but all without success.

But the 24-year-old's mother, Mary Lucas, who has been battling cancer, has made a last appeal after being given just weeks to live.

She said she wants to bury her son before she, too, dies.

Mr Vaughan disappeared three years ago. His damaged silver Peugeot 306 was found abandoned on the A467 between Risca and Cross Keys.

It had been in a collision, but it is not known whether he was driving it at the time.

Police believe Mr Vaughan, known to his friends as Jabbers, walked away from his car but it remains a mystery what happened to him after that.

A missing person's inquiry was launched, which rapidly become a murder investigation.

"I know he's dead," Ms Lucas said.

"Somebody has done something to him. I would just like them to come forward and say.

"Put yourself in my shoes - what would they feel like if they were going to die and their son or daughter was dead and they didn't know where they were?"

Ms Lucas said she had been living from day to day since her son disappeared.

'Give her peace'

"You don't come to terms with it, not until you find them and lay them to rest," she said.

"When he went out that evening he said 'ta-ra Mam, I'll see you in the morning, if you want me just give me a phone' - and that was it."

Mary Lucas and her sister Katherine Beddis believe there are people who know who is responsible for the murder

Eight people aged between 15 and 62 have been arrested, as part of the inquiry, on suspicion of offences including perverting the course of justice, assisting an offender and murder.

All of them have been released without charge.

Ms Lucas' sister, Katherine Beddis, said: "All of Mary's life disappeared that night, along with Kyle. It's been a constant battle with the cancer and the battle of trying to find Kyle, and that has been her life for three years.

"I just want someone to give her a little bit of peace for what little time she's got left."

So far, officers have:

• Analysed more than 1,800 pieces of evidence, including over 180 mobile phone SIM cards

• Looked at 4,800 mobile phone contacts and over 10,000 pieces of phone data, such as texts

• Examined more than 200 hours of CCTV

• Collected more than 390 statements

Det Ch Insp Bill Davies stressed witnesses should not fear coming forward.

"I would ask - and implore - anyone with information to stop, think about the current situation, and then pick up the phone," he said.

"Confidentiality can be agreed, totally agreed.

"I think there may be a group of individuals with direct knowledge of what happened."

Anyone with information should ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.