Murder squad detectives are continuing new house-to-house questioning in Vange - after spending four months working at the wrong scene.

New information has now ruled out the Barge pub car park, in Clay Hill Road, Vange, as the scene where 24-year-old Danny Davis was fatally stabbed in the buttock.

Mr Davis staggered to a friend's house in Oldwyk, Vange, after the attack late on Saturday, February 19. The father-of-one of Waldegrave, Basildon, died unexpectedly ten hours later at Basildon Hospital before police got the chance to speak to him.

However, detectives have now revealed they believe the nearby Ryedene estate was in fact the scene of the stabbing.

As a result, questioning and a fingertip search in the delayed hunt for the murder weapon will continue yesterday (Wednesday). Detectives have vowed they will trace the three men responsible for the attack

Det Insp Cliff Haines admits the inquiry team has always remained unsure the Barge car park was where Mr Davis was stabbed.

He said: "We have been following unconfirmed rumours trying to identify alternative scenes.

"From our extensive inquiries we are now sure the scene is around the flats at Ryedene. We are always confident of tracking the attackers and finding out the truth - there is no way we are going to let up on this.

"We will solve this case - it was a particularly brutal stabbing - and we hope someone in the Basildon area who knows who the killers are will come forward. The people who did this are not the nicest, so we can understand some witnesses being frightened - don't be."

A definite motive for the murder has also not yet been identified.

Three people were arrested shortly after the incident.

One was released without charge while the remaining two, both 32 and from Basildon, were bailed again on connected charges of handling stolen goods and possession of class A drugs.

Call the incident room with information on 01268 770244 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

(Right) Fingertip search - an officer seeks clues in Rydene Place following new information

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

(Left) Victim - Danny Davis

Sniffer dog gets the wrong trail

A highly-trained trained sniffer dog lead detectives to the Barge pub and resulted in it being identified as the scene of the fatal stabbing.

Little did the Essex Police dog know it was following a trail which has been left much earlier in the evening by Danny Davis.

However, the dog was relied on as expert enough and the car park of the pub was confirmed as the murder scene.

The dog stopped there after following Mr Davis' scent from his friend's house in Oldwyk, Basildon, where the alarm was raised.

It had not been until much later that February 19 night, when Mr Davis, 24, of Waldegrave, Basildon, crossed the road to the Ryedene estate where he was stabbed.

Det Insp Cliff Haines, deputy senior investigating officer, said: "The results from the specialist dog coupled with other information led us to believe the scene was near the Barge car park. Danny Davis visited the pub and would have been in the car park at some stage."

An Essex Police spokesman added: "The dog did not get it wrong. It only works on scents and if Mr Davis had been in the car park earlier it stands to reason the dog stopped there."

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