Investigation into disappearance of York chef Claudia Lawrence 'not closed' 13 years on

Claudia Lawrence/Police PA
Claudia Lawrence's disappearance sparked the biggest missing persons inquiry in North Yorkshire's history. Credit: PA

Police insist they have not "closed" the investigation into the suspected murder Claudia Lawrence – 13 years after she went missing.

The York chef disappeared, aged 35, on 18 March, 2009, prompting the biggest and most complex missing person inquiry in the history of North Yorkshire Police.

But after two separate inquiries and a review involving hundreds of officers, the investigation was scaled back.

Since 2017 it has been "reactive", meaning detectives would only investigate new leads.

Det Supt Wayne Fox, who is in charge of the inquiry, said: "Whilst the inquiry is in a reactive phase, I want to stress that it is not closed.

"Every new piece of information or material is thoroughly assessed for investigative value and tested against the significant amounts of material which have been acquired over the last 13 years."

In the years since Claudia's disappearance, 12 people have been arrested but no-one has ever been charged.

Police officers search the land at Sand Hutton Gravel Pits near York in connection with the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence.

In the most recent developments, officers carried out extensive searches at Sand Hutton gravel pits last summer without finding anything.

Police drain fishing lake near York in search for Claudia Lawrence

Det Supt Fox said: "I hope that the nature and scale of activity undertaken in August last year demonstrates that we continue in our efforts to thoroughly investigate any line of enquiry which is deemed pursuable, and, despite the passage of time, we remain determined to provide the answers that Claudia’s mother, sister and her many friends so desperately need and deserve."

Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.