£10,000 reward offered in Pat McCormick murder investigation

  • UTV
The 55-year-old has not been seen since Thursday 30 May, when he left his parents’ home in Ballynahinch and drove back to Comber. Credit: UTV

A £10,000 reward has been being offered for information in relation to the disappearance of a Co Down father-of-four.

William McCormick, known as Pat, was last seen by his parents on Thursday 30 May and detectives believe he was murdered.

The 55-year-old hasn’t made contact with his family since and his bank account remains untouched.

Pat’s family said they are "heartbroken and devastated" and asked for further help from the public.

In a statement, his parents thanked the PSNI as well as volunteers for their help and support.

Crimestoppers said the reward is being offered for information the charity receives that leads to the recovery of Pat McCormick’s body.

The charity hope the publicity around the reward will help jog someone’s memory or encourage them to speak anonymously.

Susan Brew, Northern Ireland Manager at Crimestoppers, said: “Pat’s family are completely devastated about what has happened. They are all desperate for answers and want to know where his body is so they can hold a funeral.

“People who contact us are keen to do the right thing. We appreciate that for some people speaking directly to the police is not an option, which is why our independent charity is here to help."

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, who is leading the investigation, renewed his appeal for information, specifically around the whereabouts of Pat’s mobile phone.

Pat's iPhone SE still remains unaccounted for too and police have released an image of a similar phone. Credit: PSNI

DCI Montgomery said: “Today I would also like to make an appeal for people to look out for Pat’s distinctive mobile phone flip cover – black with red stripes. I’ve released an image of an identical cover. His iPhone SE still remains unaccounted for too. It could be broken, smashed or in pieces.

“I would like to trace the movements of a blue Ford Transit van which was travelling on the Old Ballygowan Road in Comber at around 2pm on Friday 31st May.

He added: I’ve carried out a number of land and water searches and detectives continue to examine hundreds of hours of CCTV footage. This has all been extremely helpful as well as the significant amount of information I’ve received during my investigation. I would like to echo Pat’s family’s thanks to the community for their help – the information you are providing really is making a difference.”

  • Anyone with information about the investigation or the whereabouts of Pat can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.