Manhunt for suspect widens to London after human remains of two men found in suitcases in Bristol
12 July 2024, 18:02 | Updated: 12 July 2024, 20:22
The search for a wanted man in connection with the discovery of two suitcases containing human remains in Bristol has now moved to London.
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The remains were found inside the bags at Clifton Suspension Bridge on Wednesday night are thought to belong to two adult men.
Bristol Acting Commander for Avon and Somerset Police Vicks Hayward-Melen, says they're still trying to confirm who the victims are.
The Metropolitan Police has taken over the investigation and a crime scene is in place at an address in Devonport Road, Shepherd's Bush.
The force have also confirmed a 36-year-old man has been arrested in Greenwich on Friday.
The Met have stated this is not the man they have been appealing for and that he remains in custody.
Avon and Somerset Police had earlier released a photograph of the suspect but had not identified the man.
He was described as black with a beard, wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket and black trainers with thick white soles.
He also had a black backpack and was wearing a gold earring.
Read more: Manhunt after two suitcases filled with human remains found at Clifton Suspension Bridge
The incident has closed the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine, who is leading the investigation for the Met, said: "Over the last 48 hours we have been working extremely closely with colleagues from Avon and Somerset.
This work leads us to believe the man we need to speak to travelled to Bristol from London earlier on Wednesday evening (10 July).
"Police said on Thursday the suspect had gone towards Leigh Woods after abandoning the suitcases.
Officers received reports just before midnight on Wednesday of a man acting suspiciously near the bridge.
Police arrived within 10 minutes but the man had vanished, leaving a suitcase behind.
A second suitcase was shortly found nearby.
Giles Malone told LBC how he and his wife were waiting for their taxi on Wednesday night when they saw two men carrying heavy suitcases.
Speaking the day after the interaction with the men, Mr Malone told LBC: "My wife and I were watching the football game with my dad in Clifton Village and we left my dad's flat at 10.30pm after the football game.
"We were waiting for an Uber on the corner by the pub and we were stood there waiting for our car.
"A man and another man got out of another car across the street and they were lifting these suitcases across the road for some reason, right by us."
He said another women, who appeared to be a passerby, joked with the two men about the contents of the bags.
Forensics on scene as suspected human remains are found at the Clifton Suspension Bridge
"Another lady started to help them and the lady who was helping them said 'these are the heaviest suitcases I've ever lifted. What's in them? bodies?'," Mr Malone explained.
"We sort of semi-joked about it but they didn't say anything."
"They didn't really say anything of any remembrance at all, they were just struggling with these cases," he said, reflecting on the previous night's interaction.
"I think this lady must have helped them because she made that comment."
He described the bags as "old, tatty suitcases - two big ones", and identified one of the men as "African-American" and the other as "white".
