Police release CCTV of missing woman who they think has been 'murdered' with mystery man

Police have released CCTV footage of a young woman who's been missing from her home in Ashton-under-Lyne since January last year, who they now believe has been murdered.

Alisha Apostoloff-Boyarin, 24, who police said was vulnerable at the time she went missing because she was alcohol-dependent - was 'picked up' in Ashton-under-Lyne on 14 January 2022.

CCTV images show her in an Asda supermarket with a mystery man, and later as a passenger in a 'very distinctive' Volkswagen Passat.

Between 14 and 22 January, Alisha is said to have travelled between the Durham area and the Glossop area of Derbyshire.

On 22 January, Alisha was seen travelling in a gold Volkswagen Passat, in the Glossop and Chapel-en-le-Frith areas. She has not been seen or heard from since.

CCTV footage of the Passat has also been released; the images were revealed as detectives turned to television in a bid to crack the case, with an appeal being issued on the BBC's Crimewatch Live programme on Monday.

Detective Inspector Andrew Naismith said the CCTV footage of Alisha in the supermarket was recorded on 17 January 2022.

In the footage, she's shown carrying a green supermarket basket next to a man who is wearing a surgical facemask because of Covid-19 and a hat.

The footage shows them looking at shelves on an aisle before they walk away.

Det Insp Naismith said: "She's actually in a supermarket and she actually uses her bank card on this date. This is the last official transaction we have of Alisha using anything to do with her bank account.

"We know that later this day she travels to Sunderland Bridge in the Croxdale area of Durham so we know at this point she is alive and well."

The footage also captured them leaving the store together, with Alisha carrying a bag.

What was bought on the bank card - or the location of the supermarket - hasn't been revealed. It's also not been revealed who the man is.

CCTV showing Alisha sitting in the passenger seat of a car - the VW - at a petrol station has also been revealed as a man fills the car with fuel.

Det Insp Naismith said of the gold Volkswagen Passat: "This is the vehicle that we believe Alisha was travelling in. She is a front seat passenger.

"We have recovered this vehicle but this vehicle is really important to our inquiry. This was on 17 January as well."

He called the car 'very distinctive' and revealed it was registered in 2003.

The detective went on: "We know Alisha was a 24-year-old female at the time of her disappearance.

"She lived in the Ashton-under-Lyne area of Greater Manchester. She lived with her great-grandfather although she was very close to her grandmother. It was actually her grandmother who reported her missing.

"At the time of her disappearance, we know she was classed as vulnerable because she was alcohol-dependent. At that time, a missing persons inquiry was launched."

Det Insp Naismith spoke of three 'key dates'. He said Alisha was 'picked up' from Ashton on 14 January 2022, adding: "We know that between 14 and 22 January she moved between the Durham area, Bishop Auckland, and the Glossop area of Derbyshire.

"22 January is the last sighting that we have of Alisha, in and around the Glossop area of Derbyshire. Albeit we do believe that she travelled to Chapel-en-le-Frith at that time as well."

The day she was captured on CCTV - 17 January 2022 - is the third key date.

Det Insp Smith said Alisha's family were 'desperate for answers'.

He told the BBC: "They want any answers about the whereabouts of Alisha. One of the tragedies of this has been that Alisha's grandmother, who she was probably the most closest to in the family, has actually passed away in that time without answers.

"We are appealing today for anyone with information to come forward and try and identify what has actually happened to Alisha. We would appeal to the rural community in and around Glossop - dog-walkers or anyone who thinks they have seen anything significant.

"That little piece of information might give us what we know to locate Alisha. The missing persons inquiry has now been escalated to a murder inquiry because we believe Alisha has come to significant harm."

He also appealed for anyone with information about the car's movements to come forward.A man aged 59 at the time was arrested on suspicion of murder in March last year and released under investigation. 

A second man was arrested later in March, aged 50 at the time, on suspicion of assisting an offender. He has since been released with no further action taken.

While police haven't ruled out the possibility of another person causing harm to Alisha, GMP says there is nothing to suggest anyone else is involved.