EXCLUSIVE: Melanie Hall family say someone close to killer can solve 30-year murder mystery

The dad, mum and sister of Melanie Hall suspect more than one person may know what happened to her and are begging: 'Please come forward and help us solve this case'

13:51, 25 Jan 2026

The family of Melanie Hall[1] - murdered nearly 30 years ago after vanishing on a night out - believe someone who was close to her killer knows their secret and have appealed for them to come forward.

The 25-year-old NHS worker[2] was last seen next to the dancefloor of a club in Bath, Somerset, in the early hours of Sunday, June 9, 1996. Her remains were found 13 years later, wrapped in four black bin[3] liners and rope by a motorway slip road. She appeared to have suffered a brutal assault to the head.

As the 30th anniversary of Melanie's unsolved murder approaches, detectives at Avon and Somerset Police[4] have begun a "root and branch" review of the case.

A pool of under 100 "persons of interest" has been whittled down to less than 20 and officers are planning to re-interview alibi witnesses to see if they stand by their stories.

OPINION

Steve and Pat Hall have appealed for information (Image: Bath Chronicle)

Melanie's dad Steve, mum Pat and sister Dominique have now issued a direct appeal to her killer and anyone who might have information about him. They said in a statement: "Despite the passing of nearly 30 years since the disappearance and murder of our daughter Melanie, we remain totally committed to finding her killer.

"Over the years we have worked tirelessly with Avon and Somerset Police to solve this case and are as confident today as we were 30 years ago that her killer(s) will eventually be brought to justice.

Steve Hall and his wife and daughter have worked 'tirelessly' for justice for Melanie(Image: Daily Mirror)

"We appeal once again to the public to come forward with any information that they think may be remotely connected to Melanie's disappearance. A vast amount of information has been gathered over the years, but we still need further help from the public to bring justice for Melanie.

"It is our belief that more than one person may have knowledge of what happened to Melanie.

If you are one of those people, please come forward and help us solve this case."

The last definite sighting of Melanie was by the dancefloor(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

Steve, an artist and teacher, and Pat, a former nurse, feared the worst two days after Melanie went missing.

He said previously: "Very early on we thought we'd never see her again. She was at a stage in her life where she was enjoying her job, enjoying the company of her new boyfriend. We knew she had not disappeared of her own free will."

Her body was found by workmen, next to a northbound sliproad at junction 14 of the M5 motorway near Thornbury, Glos, in October 2009.

It was devastating for the family. Steve said in a press conference at the time: "We had a beautiful girl, now we have a bag of bones, and when you try to get your head around that, it is a terrible thing."

Detectives now believe the key to unlocking the case could lie in uncovering the links the killer had to the location where she was found. Melanie had a degree in psychology and was doing a temporary clerical job at Bath hospital while living with her parents in Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts.

She had been left alone in Cadillac's nightclub after her German doctor boyfriend, and a couple they had been out with, went home.

The new colour e-fit of the man who police want to speak to(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

Police have launched a fresh appeal to find a man who might have been chatting to her and have issued a new colour version of an e-fit released at the time.

Call 101 and ask for Avon and Somerset Constabulary and say you have information relating to Operation Denmark, or provide information through the dedicated appeal on the Major Incident Public Portal here: Public Portal[5]

Crimestoppers can also be contacted on 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org[6]

References

1. ^ Melanie Hall (www.mirror.co.uk)
2. ^ 25-year-old NHS worker (www.mirror.co.uk)
3. ^ wrapped in four black bin (www.mirror.co.uk)
4. ^ Avon and Somerset Police (www.mirror.co.uk)
5. ^ Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)
6. ^ www.crimestoppers-uk.org (www.crimestoppers-uk.org)