From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] MOTIVE PUZZLE OVER BODY-IN-SEA MURDER 221607 AUG 10 By Jon Coates, PA News The detective heading the investigation into the murder of a businessman whose body was found floating in the sea admitted today that his team was baffled by the motive. The body of Jonathan Bristow, 39, was found off Sheerness, in Kent, on August 11. Police believe the father-of-six had been executed with a single gun shot to the head and then thrown in the sea. They believe the victim, who had the image of "Mr Nice Guy" in the Medway area of Kent, where he had always lived and worked, was lured or taken to a secluded place and killed on August 4, a week before his body was discovered. Detective Chief Inspector Colin Murray, the senior investigating officer, said his team are probing every aspect of Mr Bristow's personal and business life in the hope of uncovering a motive. He said: "At the moment I can genuinely say we have no clear indication of why he was killed. "The murder was clearly premeditated, as someone has gone to a lot of trouble to kill this man in this manner and try to conceal his body in the sea. "The idea was to make it seem like he had just disappeared, had gone off somewhere and would never be found." Mr Murray appealed today at a news conference in Maidstone for anyone who saw Mr Bristow's two vehicles on August 4 to come forward. Detectives believe the killer or someone involved with it must have parked the victim's black Chrysler Voyager in his usual work space after he was executed. Mr Bristow, who lived in Prospect Row, Chatham, with a girlfriend, was last seen driving the tinted-window people carrier, registration number W531 YKP, at about 11.30am on August 4. The general builder was seen leaving the Chequered Flag pub in Chatham High Street, which he was renovating and also had a financial interest in, heading towards Rochester. He was not seen after this, but his people carrier was found next morning parked outside a block of flats, called Fiveways Court, in Chatham, which he used for business. Mr Murray said: "It absolutely critical for us to know who returned this, as if not the offender it must be someone who knows what happened." The victim also used a Sherpa flat-back truck, registration R197 DKO, which had his company logo, SEC Environmental Services, on it. Earlier on the day of his death the businessman was seen driving this truck. This was also parked outside the block of flats. Mr Bristow had left the pub in the Chrysler with a green fabric zip-up holdall, containing a change of clothes. This was missing when the vehicle was found by police. Mr Murray added: "Mr Bristow was a devoted father to his children and he also had a reputation of being the type of man who would do anyone a good turn. He had the image of a Mr Nice Guy who was everyone's friend. "We are aware of speculation about his lifestyle, with talk of him dealing in drugs, but, at this stage, it appears to be just speculation and we have yet to establish a motive for his murder." Anyone with information can call an incident room on 01622 654850 or Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555111. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
