Kieran Williams: Crimestoppers offer £20,000 reward for information about murder of teenager
A £20,000 reward has been offered for anonymous information about the murder of an 18-year-old man who was found dead in a makeshift grave.
Kieran Williams went missing from his home in Sunderland on 18 April 2022.
He was found more than a month later, on 31 May, in a shallow grave on a disused industrial estate in the city, south of the River Wear, between the Northern Spire Bridge and Claxheugh Rocks.
He had been stabbed multiple times and his body set on fire.
Two men charged in connection with his death were acquitted of murder following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
One of the men, 20-year-old Louis Hackett, was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for five years.
Whilst Hackett’s fingerprints were found, there were other unidentified fingerprints left around the grave.
A judge concluded at the hearing that Kieran’s killer remains at large and stated, "the real perpetrator or perpetrators have got away with it. Justice has not been done".
It is hoped the public’s help in identifying whoever left the fingerprints will assist in bringing the killers to justice.
Kieran's mother, Tracey Williams, said: “As a mother, I cannot express the horror and ongoing trauma that I feel. I wake up heartbroken and fall asleep crying. It’s an ongoing torture to know that I will never spend one more moment with my son.
“I am desperate for justice for Kieran just as any other parent would be. I continue to walk the streets where Kieran was last seen in the hope that someone, anyone will tell me what happened to my son and why.
“I know that there are people out there who know what happened to Kieran.
“I am a proud woman and a proud mother, but I am begging anyone with information to come forward. Please try to imagine just for a moment the pain and desperation I continue to feel every minute of every hour of every day.”
Crimestoppers is supporting the investigation by offering a £20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those linked to Kieran's murder.
The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on 18 July 2024.
Information must be passed exclusively to the charity via its website or by calling 0800 555 111.
Fleur Brown, North East Regional Manager at Crimestoppers, said: “Kieran was only 18 years old and his murder was horrific. As the judge stated, the perpetrator or perpetrators are still out there.
“We believe there are people who know what happened but may have been too scared to come forward or because of misplaced loyalty. This is their chance to make things right whilst staying completely anonymous when you contact our charity.
“Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police, is reaching out to anyone who has stayed silent but now wants to do the right thing. Even if they think that what they know is insignificant, I urge them to tell us.
“Our charity hopes that by appealing for anonymous information and offering a reward, Kieran’s family, finally, will have the answers they desperately need.”
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