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MISSING ENGLISH GIRL

been an unimaginably stressful six months for the whole family while we have lived in hope of Kate being found alive.

– The Journal, 11 October 2003

A year after Kate vanished, her family held a memorial service in England. Their nightmare would never end, but they said goodbye. DCI Whitehead, who’d been with them throughout the investigation, confirmed that UK police believed Kate had been murdered.

Speaking for the first time about what he believes happened to Kate, Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead said she was visited by the brothers two days before she vanished. She sent six text messages on the night of her disappearance to Juan Diaz’s phone and her final call – at 4.14 am on 18 April – was to him.

‘The brothers were associates of Jose Henrici and I feel that Kate suspected Jose was drug-running for them,’ he said. ‘Indeed his capture in Peru with 4.2 kilos of cocaine supports that. There is some evidence that she was outspoken about that activity and it may be that posed a significant threat to their venture.’

‘There were four things that could have happened to Kate – she could have disappeared of her own volition, had an accident, committed suicide or been murdered. On balance, I think it is highly likely that she was murdered.’

– The Journal, 21 April 2004

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