Police investigate claims linking Claudia Lawrence and murderer Christopher Halliwell
Police in Wiltshire have confirmed that they have been in contact with detectives in North Yorkshire to investigate claims there are links between a serial killer from Swindon and the missing York Chef Claudia Lawrence.
It follows allegations made by a former detective, about the murderer Christopher Halliwell who is serving life imprisonment for the killings of two women.
While both forces have now looked into the claims, they say there is nothing to indicate a link at this time, describing them as 'speculative'.
The news come comes as Claudia's mother Joan travelled to Swindon meet Karen Edwards, whose daughter Becky was one of Halliwell's victims.
In response, Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, head of the Cleveland and North Yorkshire Major Investigation Team, said:
“I fully understand why Claudia Lawrence’s mum, Joan, has had her expectations and anxieties raised by recent media interviews given by ex-Wiltshire Police Detective Superintendent, Steve Fulcher, regarding alleged links between convicted murderer Christopher Halliwell and Claudia’s disappearance.
“To be clear, none of the apparent links and information Mr Fulcher has spoken about since his retirement, had previously been shared by him with our incident room.
In response, Wiltshire Police said: "Wiltshire Police has been in ongoing contact with North Yorkshire Police concerning the claims made by Mr Fulcher and at this time it is agreed by both police forces that there is nothing to indicate a link between the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence and the offending of Christopher Halliwell.
"More widely, we continue to keep an open mind in relation to any further offences that Christopher Halliwell may have committed and will follow the evidence wherever that may take us.