Andrew Murphy, 47, was last seen on Saturday, March 29 when CCTV captured him in south of Birkenhead – Merseyside Police had issued a number of appeals in efforts to locate him
The body of a man found on a Northern Ireland beach has now been identified by police as a missing 47-year-old dad.
Andrew Murphy, from Wirral, vanished after last being spotted on CCTV at the Aldi on Bebington Road in New Ferry, south of Birkenhead, on Saturday, March 29. Merseyside Police had been actively seeking him through several appeals since his disappearance, which his family said was “totally out of character”, expressing their desperate hope for his safe return to his “young daughter and partner”.
Mr Murphy was last seen wearing an oversized green Michael Kors waterproof rain max down to his knees, a blue dressing gown underneath, blue jeans, black trainers with white soles and carrying a blue Adidas backpack.
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Almost nine weeks after he went missing Andrew Murphy’s body washed up on a beach in Millisle, Co Down on Wednesday, May 21 and police have now formerly identified the remains as being that of Andrew Murphy. A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) shared with Liverpool ECHO: “We can confirm that the body found in the Donaghadee Road area of Millisle on Wednesday, 21st May has been identified.”
Authorities have concluded that the deceased is male and are liaising with Mr Murphy’s grieving relatives, while stating that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, reports Belfast Live.
Mr Murphy’s family confirmed to the Wirral Globe newspaper that they had been contacted by local authorities to confirm they had found him. The family said: “Andrew has been found. His body was found on 21st May at Millisle Cove in Northern Ireland. We want to thank everyone again for the support. It has been overwhelming.”
What will the police do during a missing person case?
The police will sometimes allocate a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) to a missing person case, who will act as a consistent point of contact for the family, and provide support and information about the investigation.
After 72 hours, the police working on the case have to tell the UK Missing Persons Unit, which is part of the National Crime Agency. The unit carries out enquiries on behalf of local forces, keeps a database of missing and found people, and manages the forensic database of DNA profiles and fingerprints.
The police will also have to decide if a case is high risk, medium risk, low risk, or no apparent risk, after a person is reported missing. They will take into account factors like age and health – but the risk level can change during the investigation if new information comes to light or circumstances change.
How can you find a missing person?
As well as reporting the missing person to the police, you can call the person, search the places where you think they could be, and speak to people that may know where they are, the Missing People charity explained. You could try ringing around hospitals to see if they have had any recent unidentified individuals admitted.
You should ask family and friends to help you as this can “speed things up and make you feel more supported and less alone”. It is also a good idea to make a note of all the things you have done, places you have searched, and the people you have spoken to, as this may be helpful later.
If the person is still missing after several weeks, you should make sure to know who your point of contact is in the police and what is happening in the search. You should also think about publicity and can share posts on social media to raise awareness.
Missing People said: “When sharing our appeal, if you feel comfortable to do so, you could try targeting useful agencies such as local newspapers and asking them to share it.” You could also reach out to your loved one’s favourite sports team, if they have one, to ask them to help share the appeal.
For advice, support and options, if you or someone you love goes missing, text or call Missing People’s Helpline on 116 000 or email [email protected]. It’s free, confidential and non-judgmental, and sightings information can also be taken. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk