Nearly 30 years after mother-of-seven Patricia Lashley vanished from her flat in Dudley, Trevor Dunkley, 66, has been charged with her murder.
Ms Lashley, known to friends as Pat or Jade, was 33 when she was last seen at her home in Hall Street in September 1998. She also used the names Vanessa and Tricia as well as the surname Bradford, and had links to Newcastle, London, Wales and Scotland.
“Man charged with 1998 murder of mother-of-seven Patricia Lashley nearly 30 years after she vanished.”
Dunkley has been remanded into custody and will appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday, West Midlands Police said. Officers confirmed the pair knew each other.
Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell said: “We want to hear from anyone who may have known or remembers meeting Patricia or Trevor Dunkley. We know she was fairly well-known in both Dudley town centre and Oldbury.”
Ms Lashley moved to Dudley in the mid-1990s and frequented the No Limits club and other pubs in the area, police said.
“If anyone remembers anything or thinks they have any information which could help with our inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch,” Cordell added. “Even if you already spoke to us at the time Patricia went missing, we still want to hear from you as we gather as much information as we can to help her family find some closure after nearly 30 years.”
Officers are supporting Ms Lashley’s family and have appealed for anyone with information to call 101 quoting log 3984 of July 7.