Grieving mum fears body found in Northampton wood could be son who went missing 18 years ago

DNA tests could solve police puzzle over remains discovered in Lings Wood
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Grieving mum Sheila Dolton fears the body found in Northampton woodland could be her son who vanished 18 years ago.

Northamptonshire Police confirmed remains found in Lings Wood on Monday (May 4) had been there "for some time."

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Computer whizkid Jonathan Dolton was just 20 when he mysteriously disappeared from his home in Stony Stratford, Bucks, in February 2002.

Though a body was never found, his business partner Stewart Martin was convicted of manslaughter two years later and sentenced to seven-and-a-half years.

He had fled to Australia but police, after finding blood in his car, extradited and charged him with the killing.

Jonathan's mum Sheila sent letters begging Martin to reveal the location of Jonathan’s body.

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But the killer refused. He was released on licence after serving just over four years and died of a heart attack 18 months later, aged 48, taking his secrets to the grave.

The body of a man was discovered in Lings Wood on Monday (May 4)The body of a man was discovered in Lings Wood on Monday (May 4)
The body of a man was discovered in Lings Wood on Monday (May 4)

Police worked out Martin had only a few hours to hide Jonathan's body before fleeing the country.

Now Jonathan's family are waiting on detectives carrying out DNA tests to see if the body found on Monday could be him.

She said: “We feel it’s our duty as Jonathan’s parents to find him. The grieving process involves falling apart and putting yourself back together – learning to move on without that person. Without our son’s body to bury, we can’t do that.”

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Jonathan's sister Nina added: "It's strange because we were only saying the other day that lockdown could be a good thing as far as finding Jonathan was concerned.

Sheila Dolton is still searching for the body of he son Jonathan who vanished in 2002Sheila Dolton is still searching for the body of he son Jonathan who vanished in 2002
Sheila Dolton is still searching for the body of he son Jonathan who vanished in 2002

"It means that all these people are out and about walking on their daily exercise, discovering new places and going deeper into woodland than they normally would."

Northamptonshire detectives drafted in Home Office experts in a bid to identify the remains.

Detective Inspector Tony Kennedy, said: “We are in the very early stages of this investigation and our primary aim at the moment is to determine whether this man died in suspicious circumstances or not.

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“We believe his body has been in the area for some time and a Home Office pathologist is assisting us with identifying the remains.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have information about who this man might be, or who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area, to please contact us on 101, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."