Daughter of Glasgow mum who vanished 54 years ago demands answers after murder probe revelation
The daughter of a Glasgow[1] mum who went missing in 1969 is demanding answers after it was revealed her mum’s disappearance is being treated as a murder.
Isabella Skelton, nee McDowall[2], from Glasgow, was living in Manchester when she vanished from her family home on June 6, 1969.
Last week, her daughter Lynda made an emotional appeal for information ahead of her mum’s 90th birthday – asking Scots to help finally solve the mystery. However, just days later she was shocked when detectives in Manchester revealed they were treating Isabella’s case as a murder inquiry and had interviewed a potential suspect in 2020, reports the Daily Record[3].
Lynda, 69, said: “It was never mentioned to me it was a murder inquiry. Never ever. That is why I have persevered and gone on and on and on with the search for so long.
“I don’t know how I’m feeling and it’s difficult to put into words. I’m just numb.”
An old photo of Linda Chapman and her mum Isabella Skelton (née McDowall) (Image: MEN Media)
Isabella was born in Glasgow on January 21, 1934, and married Lewis Skelton in 1952. The couple, who lived on Carnoustie Street, near the city centre, then went on to have three children, Lynda, Richard and Stephen.
The family moved to Greater Manchester in the early 60s, first living in Salford then moving to Crumpsall.
The mum, who had worked in various factories, vanished at aged 35 – with her children believing she had gone away to work for a period.
Lynda, who was just 14 at the time, always believed her mum had returned to Scotland and said her dad never spoke about it. The father and daughter have been estranged for 10 years.
Using genealogy and placing adverts in papers, the desperate daughter searched for her mum for decades.
There has only been one potential sighting, on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street. But it wasn’t until 2019 that Lynda realised Isabella had never officially been reported missing and went to Greater Manchester Police.
The force then released an age-progressed image of Isabella she would look like today and in 2021 detectives carried out a painstaking search of her former home, relocating a family for several months while they carried out the probe.
Officers excavated the cellar, foundations and yard but found no evidence that would “prove significant”.
Police believe this is what Isabella could look like today
Now it has emerged that a man was interviewed under caution on suspicion of the mum’s murder in October 2020.
No one has been charged, but a statement from Martin Bottomley, head of GMP’s Cold Case Unit, confirmed that the case was “recorded as murder and investigated as such”.
The revelation came as a shock to Lynda, who now wants a meeting with police to understand why they believe her mum was killed.
She said: “If they gave this caution in October 2020 they have obviously dug up the house expecting to find something.
“Nobody ever told me it was being treated as murder. No one told me someone was cautioned. Communication has been lost somewhere.
“Surely that information should have gone to all family members.
“I haven’t heard from the police since 2022. It’s 18 months since I’ve heard anything.
“As far as I was concerned they said it was a cold case.
“The two police officers who came to see me after the house was searched said they hadn’t found anything and that was all they could do, they couldn’t go any further.
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“They said they were never going to give up but I felt like they had given up and I don’t accept that.”
Lynda said she will continue to appeal for information over what happened to her mum and will continue to hope she has not come to harm.
Greater Manchester Police say Isabella’s family were informed when a man was interviewed on suspicion of her murder.
A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: “This has been a complex and protracted investigation and, at this stage, all conventional lines of enquiry in our search for Isabella have been exhausted. But, as with all investigations like this, we will continue to keep an open mind, and should new evidence come to light, we will follow all lines of enquiry to provide Isabella’s family with the answers they deserve.
“Needless to say, such cases are never closed, and we would be grateful for any new lines of enquiry or information.”
References
- ^ Glasgow (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Isabella Skelton, nee McDowall (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Daily Record (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
- ^ Family of Glasgow woman who vanished 50 years ago call for help ahead of 90th birthday (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Woman found dead in Rutherglen property named as murder investigation launched (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Glasgow Live’s Whatsapp Community here (chat.whatsapp.com)