Police commissioner candidate pledges to hold Halliwell probe

And the pledge by police and crime commissioner candidate Mike Rees has been backed by former Halliwell detective Steve Fulcher.

Halliwell, now 57 years old, is currently serving two life sentences for murdering Sian O’Callaghan and Becky Godden-Edwards.

But some have always suspected him of murdering more women.

A cache of personal items, including a pair of boots owned by 22-year-old Sian, were found near Ramsbury in 2014. Detectives, including original senior investigating officer former Det Supt Steve Fulcher, believed it to be Halliwell’s trophy store.

Now, retired detective Mike Rees, who is standing as an independent candidate in the Wiltshire police and crime commissioner election, has pledged to launch a new investigation into Halliwell if he is elected next month.

Mr Rees, who retired from Wiltshire Police as a detective inspector in 2014 and was involved in the search for victim Becky Godden-Edwards’ remains 10 years ago, said: “It has long been suspected that there are potentially more victims.

“The Wiltshire public and in fact the UK public need to be satisfied that all lines of inquiry have been exhausted. From my personal knowledge of the case, I don’t believe this to be the case.

Mike Rees, photographed at the beginning of 2020 Picture: ADVER

“Wiltshire Police is one of the most poorly funded in the country and I suspect this is one of the reasons this has not been pursued vigorously.

“If elected, I intend to speak with and encourage the Chief Constable to re-visit this matter and will support him by seeking extra funding, if required, allowing us to exhaust every avenue to find out if there are other victims of this killer. There could be other families out there still waiting for news on their missing loved ones.”

Mr Fulcher was the detective superintendent who led the initial investigation into Halliwell and subsequently lost his job over breaches of police procedure rules after his initial arrest of the cab driver.

The former detective, who is supporting Mr Rees' political campaign, backed a new inquiry looking into other crimes potentially committed by Halliwell. Mr Fulcher told the Adver: “It’s a matter of justice that crimes attributable to Halliwell are thoroughly and vigorously pursued.

“There are clear indications there are other victims. For the next of kin of those victims, there are consequences of their daughter missing day after day, when there appears to be no effort to seek at least to resolve the matter.”

READ MORE: Heartbreaking tribute from mum of murdered Becky Godden-Edwards

READ MORE: Former Halliwell detective fears he could have murdered dozens

He added: “For the next of kin of victims they don’t cease to suffer as a consequence of missing their daughter. The cost of the crimes that Halliwell committed is incalculable.

“If you don’t investigate homicide then there’s really no reason to have a police force.”

Last month marked 10 years on from the disappearance of Sian O’Callaghan and subsequent arrest of Christopher Halliwell. The cab driver led police to the remains of Becky Godden-Edwards, who was buried in a Gloucestershire field.

Becky’s mum, Karen Edwards, told the Adver earlier this month that she believed there were other victims.

She said: “Becky had her life taken in the cruellest of ways. There are lots of things you can forgive but I will never, ever forgive Halliwell for what he did not just to Becky but to Sian and, I still believe, many others despite what Wiltshire Police will say.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said in March: “We continue to keep an open mind in relation to any further offences that Christopher Halliwell may have committed and will follow the evidence wherever that may take us.

“It is important to stress that we would not encourage unhelpful speculation as this may cause distress to families involved who are desperate to have news of their loved ones.”

The police and crime commissioner elections will be held on May 6. A full list of candidates can be found here.