Garden of disused pub searched for remains of man missing for 15 years

Detectives investigating the suspected murder of Kevin John Palmer, who went missing on March 12, 1999 after a night out with friend, sealed off the grounds of the former Gordon Arms pub, in Gordon Road, Fareham, yesterday morning for examination by specialist officers, Hampshire Constabulary said.

Mr Palmer, who was in his 30s, disappeared shortly after arriving in the UK from Spain where he was living at the time, a police spokesman said.

A man was arrested by Hampshire Constabulary in 2003 on suspicion of Mr Palmer’s murder but he was later released with no further action due to insufficient evidence.

A second man was interviewed in Spain, the spokesman said.

Detective Superintendent Paul Barton, from the constabulary’s Major Investigation Team, said officers were pursuing leads following a routine cold case review.

He said: “A recent assessment of information received about the whereabouts of Kevin John Palmer prompted a line of inquiry, which has taken us to this address in Fareham.

“We are not able to give more details about the source of this information because of sensitive and confidential circumstances.

“Nevertheless, the considered opinion of our detectives is that this information justifies a search for human remains within the garden of the former Gordon Arms pub.”

Mr Barton said the evidence was “tangible enough to be examined in more detail at the scene” but it was not certain that any evidence would be found, and that people should be cautious with their expectations.

He said the last known sighting of Mr Palmer was at the Abshot Country Club in Fareham on the evening of March 12, 1999, where he is believed to have taken a taxi with two men back to an address in Bishops Waltham. En route it is suspected the three became involved in a fight.