Missing schoolboy Kevin Hicks, 16, who vanished 30 years ago may have been MURDERED as cops offer £20,000 reward to solve crime
Cops say the teenager's body may have been disposed of after an assault the night he disappeared
A TEENAGE boy who vanished after leaving home to buy eggs for a school project 30 years ago is now believed to have been murdered.
Cops have today offered a £20,000 reward to help discover what happened to Kevin Hicks - three decades on from his disappearance.
The 16-year-old's sister Alexandra now hopes she can finally find out the truth after her parents died never knowing if their son was dead or alive.
"Christmas is always a particularly hard time of the year, especially now both my parents are gone," she said.
"It would be the best Christmas present to have Kevin back or to know what has happened to him.
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"With Kevin and I being only a year and a day apart with our birthdays, the month of February is a constant reminder of not knowing where he is or what has happened to him."
Alexandra, 45, added: "On 2 March 2017 it will be 31 years since Kevin went missing and I appeal to anyone with any information, no matter how small, to come forward and assist police with their investigation.
"Someone somewhere knows something.
"It is time to let go of that secret."
It would be the best Christmas present to have Kevin back or to know what has happened to him.
Alexandra Hicks
Kevin was described as a happy teenager with no problems at school and had been applying for jobs in the weeks before his disappearance.
He had spent a normal day with his family on Sunday, 2 March 1996, sitting down for lunch together at their home in Sissinghurst Road in Addiscombe, Croydon.
At around 8.30pm he told his mum he needed to buy some eggs for his O-level home economics exam the next day.
The teen left with just £1 and headed off to Sperrings community shop, a couple of minutes walk away in Lower Addiscombe Road.
He was last seen by someone who knew him at 10pm in Shirley Road, walking in the general direction of home.
After a review earlier this year, investigating officers now believe he is more than likely to have been murdered.
Now Metropolitan Police are offering a £20,000 reward for information.
Detective Inspector John McQuade, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Kevin simply disappeared that night and was never seen nor heard of again.
"We can only imagine what the intervening years must have been like for his family, years of worry and distress at not knowing what happened.
We believe Kevin must have met someone that night, been assaulted and his body disposed of.
Detective Inspector John McQuade
"Sadly, both his parents died without ever discovering the truth.
"Many enquiries have been carried out over the years but Kevin's body has never been found but there is no evidence he is still alive.
"We believe Kevin must have met someone that night, been assaulted and his body disposed of.
"A substantial reward is now on offer for anyone with information leading to the discovery of Kevin's body or the prosecution of the person or people responsible for his murder.
"I hope this will encourage anyone with information - no matter how small you think that piece of information might be - to come forward as soon as possible."
On October 25, 1996, someone anonymously called the Croydon Advertiser and said she knew where Kevin's body was.
DI John McQuade is now appealing to that person to come forward.
He added: "We believe Kevin must have met someone in that hour-and-a-half and that person attacked him.
"Perhaps the suspect didn't mean to kill him but it is clear Kevin's body must have then been disposed of.
"I truly believe people in the local Croydon community hold the answers to what happened to Kevin."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4005 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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