Exclusive
Daughter of Muriel McKay hits out at Met chief after he calls for 'concrete proof' over where murder victim is buried
19 January 2024, 13:52
Muriel McKay's daughter has asked how much more "concrete evidence" the head of the Metropolitan Police wants before officers can finally find the woman's remains, after her convicted killer offered to reveal where she is buried.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Ms McKay, 55, was kidnapped and held for a £1m ransom by brothers Nizamodeen and Arthur Hosein in 1969.
She was married to Australian media executive Alick, Rupert Murdoch's deputy, and was abducted after the Hoseins confused her for Murdoch's then-wife Anna.
Ms McKay was never seen again, though Nizamodeen Hosein says he is willing to come back and show where her body is buried at a farm in Stocking Pelham, Hertfordshire.
She is believed to have died there in 1969 and the brothers were convicted of her murder the year after.
Her grandson, Mark Dyer, asked on LBC's Call the Commissioner on Wednesday if the force would be prepared to send police to dig her up.
Sir Mark Rowley said: "We've already done a limited search at the premises based on what we were told previously and if we can narrow it down to be sufficiently concrete about where we need to look then we will get a warrant and we will do it."
He added: "The information is coming from one of the people who were convicted but it's not entirely consistent and it keeps changing.
"If and when we get concrete evidence we will be prepared to go back there."
But Ms McKay's daughter Dianne has now written to Sir Mark to demand he do more to recover her remains.
She said he should not think Nizamodeen is only cooperating with her to get attention, saying he had rejected money offered to him in a settlement agreement, and insisted that because of his old age he is "just interested in obtaining closure - as we are".
"In addition, I was also hoping you could kindly clarify what you meant by 'concrete evidence'," she wrote in a letter shared to LBC.
"What could possibly be more concrete than a signed affidavit from the perpetrator who has confirmed the location of where he has buried my mother? He has also offered to attend the farm with the family to show them the area in which we need to search. Surely this will be sufficient?
"Nizamodeen has always remained adamant that he walked through a gate, next to the barn and buried my mother.
"Given that Nizamodeen is now elderly but is currently willing and capable of helping, obtaining a warrant cannot be delayed any longer as we may lose this valuable opportunity if we don't take it now."
Sir Mark told LBC previously that he has seen "cases with other murderers in prison who try to get attention by telling stories and being inconsistent in what they say".
He added: "We haven't ruled it out, we are trying to get there, but we need to do it as far as the law allows."
The landowner at Stocking Farm turned down a £40,000 sum to allow them to dig up a new area, the family said.
But Ian Marsh said he was in "regular conversation" with the Met and he "sympathises" with the family.
The family has also said the Home Office is blocking any attempt for Nizamodeen to return to Britain from Trinidad and Tobago. He was deported there after serving his jail sentence.
His brother, Arthur, died in jail in 2009.
"Our sympathies are with Muriel McKay's loved ones," a Home Office spokesperson said.
"Whilst it is our longstanding position that we do not routinely comment on individual cases, we work with the police on any requests pertaining to ongoing investigations."
The Met has said: "We understand how frustrating and difficult this matter has been for Muriel's family and remain in contact with them."
Dianne McKay's letter to Sir Mark Rowley in full
Dear Sir Mark,
MURIEL MCKAY
I write to you further to your interview with Nick Ferrari of LBC yesterday morning and just wanted to clarify a few points.
Firstly, thank you for acknowledging the fact that only a “limited” search was carried out by the Metropolitan Police last year.
I did however want to address the fact that you may think Nizamodeen Hosein has been co-operating with us for
attention – like other individuals who have been convicted of murder and are serving a prison sentence. This is wholly incorrect and somewhat irrelevant.
Nizamodeen has already served his sentence and essentially has nothing to gain or lose and has been out of prison since 1991. His situation is different to those who are incarcerated and willing to assist to achieve a shorter sentence.
As you may be aware, a settlement agreement was entered into in November 2021 whereby Nizamodeen was entitled to receive payment in tranches, equivalent to the sum of $50,000 US dollars.
Up until this point, he would have been entitled to half of that money, however has rejected every penny offered to him to date. Given his advanced age, he is simply just interested in obtaining closure – as are we.
In addition, I was also hoping you could kindly clarify what you meant by “concrete evidence”.
What could possibly be more concrete than a signed affidavit from the perpetrator who has confirmed the location of where he has buried my mother? He has also offered to attend the farm with the family to show them the area in which we need to search. Surely this will be sufficient?
Nizamodeen has always remained adamant that he walked through a gate, next to the barn and buried my mother.
Given that Nizamodeen is now elderly but is currently willing and capable of helping, obtaining a warrant cannot be delayed any longer as we may lose this valuable opportunity if we don’t take it now.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Dianne McKay
Daughter of Muriel McKay
