POLICE investigating the discovery of skeletal remains three years ago have identified the man as William ‘Bill’ Long, from the Clacton area.
The remains were found by a site worker at a scrapyard near to Cockett Wick Lane, St Osyth, on April 25, 2019.
Essex Police said “extensive investigations” have taken place in the three years since the discovery to try and identify who the skeleton was.
He has now been identified as Bill Long, who would now be in his 70s.
Bill’s sister Patricia said: “After our father died in 1996, we lost contact with Bill and we’re desperate for information about what happened to him.
“He was vulnerable and an easy target for scammers and we feel so guilty that we didn’t go back to Jaywick to make sure he was OK.
“The next thing we knew was when detectives came and told us Bill’s remains had been found.
“It’s so difficult to deal with grief and guilt when we don’t know what happened.
“If you are afraid and want to remain anonymous this can be arranged. Please help us with anything you know.”
Essex Police said its investigations to identify the skeleton included specialist assistance from a forensic anthropologist to establish a timescale of when the person was likely to have died, a review of historic local and national missing person reports, enquiries with financial institutions, the NHS, and the Department of Work and Pensions.
Images of cowboy boots found alongside the remains were also released.
Police say the focus is now on when he died, how his remains came to be where they were found and the circumstances which led up to his death.
Through their enquiries police believe he was last seen, or believed to be alive, between March 1999 and March 2000 and had a girlfriend who had moved to Australia at about that time.
Police are investigated his death as a homicide, but are keeping an open mind about what happened to him.
Det Insp Kevin Hughes, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “The process to identify Bill has been measured and methodical.
“Bill’s family have been told and they now have the chance to lay him to rest.
“They have questions about what happened to him and our focus now is to get them answers.
“We’re keeping an open mind as to what happened to Bill and how he came to be where he was found.
“I need anyone who knew Bill, saw him, spoke to him or has any information about him or his life at the time he was last seen to come forward and speak to my team.”
Information can be reported at mipp.police.uk/operation/4201020119N79-PO2.
Anyone with information can also call 101, quoting rime reference number 42/64620/1, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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