Public Appeals
In the days, weeks and months following Shelley’s disappearance, her family, friends and the police made numerous public appeals including a local poster campaign asking the public for information as to Shelley’s whereabouts.
Following the discovery of Shelley’s body at Backwell on Sunday, 14 October 1984, Avon and Somerset Police engaged with the UK’s BBC Crimewatch programme to make a national appeal for information surrounding Shelley’s disppearance and murder.
The investigation into Shelley’s murder first featured on BBC Crimewatch on 6 November 1984 (Series 1 Episode 5) when a reconstruction of Shelley’s hypothesised movements was aired.
The BBC Crimewatch Update programme later that same evening provided feedback on the public response to the reconstruction.
Shelley’s murder was further featured on the BBC Crimewatch on 20 December 1984 (Series 1 Episode 6) when an update was provided.
On 11 June 2019, the 35th anniversary of Shelley’s disappearance, ITV News West Country provided an overview of the events of 11 June 1984 followed by an appeal by Avon and Somerset Police for information in relation to the two tear-off postcards from the Bristol hospice charity calendar.
Also on the 11 June 2019, Shelley’s sister Holle Brian released the following video appeal of behalf of the family.
Additionally, to accompany the video, a Victim Impact Statement written by Holle on behalf of her late sister was also released. The Victim Impact Statement can be read here.
On 11 June 2024, the 40th anniversary of Shelley’s disappearance, Robert Murphy from ITV News West Country provided an overview of the events from 11 June 1984 to date.
Additionally on the 40th anniversary, speaking to Robert Murphy, Detective Inspector Dave Marchant from Avon and Somerset Police issued a renewed appeal for information.
Detective Inspector Marchant also issued a written appeal via the Avon and Somerset Police website on 11 June 2024, and it is reproduced in full below:
“We will never give up trying to identify the person responsible for Shelley’s murder and for leaving her two young children without their mother.
“Forty years may have passed but our resolve has not lessened, and we remain committed to providing her family with answers and, if her killer is still alive, to bringing them to justice.
“We know after dropping her children off at school on 11 June 1984 Shelley headed towards Leigh Woods where she planned to take photographs and sketch.
“While we can’t categorically say for certain she made it to Leigh Woods, we’ve unconfirmed sightings of her on a bus traveling towards the area and near Ashton Court.
“We know Shelley was wearing a scarlet-coloured top, a white skirt and marron-coloured tights along with large red circular glasses. And we know she had with her a homemade patchwork bag and her 35mm Olympus OM20 camera.
“Neither her clothing or her camera have ever been recovered but we remain hopeful someone may yet come across the camera as it’s still popular with collectors.
“If you own an Olympus OM20 camera from the 1980s with the serial number 1032853 please get in touch.”