Detectives investigating the 1993 murder of Carol Clark have issued a renewed appeal for information as they continue to piece together the evidence they need to finally bring those responsible for her death to justice.
Carol was 32 when her body was found by a dog walker partially clothed in reeds and undergrowth at the side of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.
She had been strangled and her neck had been broken.
Carol, who was a sex worker, was last seen alive getting into a Volvo car on Picton Street in the Montpellier area of Bristol at around 11.30pm on Friday 26 March 1993.
Hours earlier she had left a note for her boyfriend saying she was going out to find work. She planned to be home by 2.30am but she never returned.
She was wearing a black baseball cap, brown leather jacket, blue denim mini skirt, black polo necked jumper over a plain blue t-shirt and cowboy boots at the time she was last seen.
When her body was discovered two days later, on Sunday 28 March 1993, she was wearing only her underwear and boots – the rest of her clothes have never been recovered.
A large-scale murder investigation was launched and several reviews of the case have been carried out as different investigators have re-examined the statements and material gathered over the years.
The continued focus on the case led our Major Crime Investigation Team to uncover new and significant information which led to the case being reopened three years ago.
And following a previous public appeal, a witness came forward to say they saw a woman matching Carol’s description walking along Berkley bypass with two men.
During the past few years, three men have been arrested on suspicion of Carol’s murder, a 69-year-old man from Gloucestershire; a 48-year-old man from Lincolnshire; and a 66-year-old man from Newcastle.
Detectives have since ruled the man from Newcastle out of their inquiry but the two other men remain under investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Usher, the senior investigating officer leading the inquiry, said: “I am convinced someone out there knows what happened to Carol and we remain committed to doing everything we can to secure justice for her and her family.
“This weekend marks the 33rd anniversary of the day her body was discovered and so we wanted to use this opportunity to once again appeal for anyone who may have information which could help us.
“We strongly suspect Carol was alive all of Saturday 27 March 1993 and she was potentially with two men.
“We also suspect Carol’s body will have been left at Sharpness Docks in daylight hours at a time when there were lots of people around celebrating the 200th anniversary of the British Waterways.
“Carol was wearing distinctive clothing at the time she went missing and so we are once again asking anyone who can recall seeing her that Saturday or seeing anyone behaving suspiciously to contact us. You could have the final piece of the jigsaw which helps us catch those responsible for her death.”
DCI Usher added: “We remain in contact with Carol’s family and are committed to providing them with any updates on significant developments in our investigation.”
Anyone with information should phone 101 and tell the call handler they’re phoning in relation to log 262 of 26 March 2026 – or report online: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/.
Alternatively. you can give information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
