How mysterious murder of ‘Fred the Head’ still baffles cops 53 years after skeletal remains found in shallow grave
A BOUND skeleton wearing just a pair of socks remains at the centre of a murder mystery that has plagued cops for 53 years.
On March 27, 1971, an off-duty officer was out walking in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, when he noticed a skull fragment.
The grisly discovery led the victim to become known as "Fred the Head" - although his true identity remains unknown.
Not much else is apparent either - except Fred's wrists and ankles had been bound behind his back and he had been dumped in a kneeling position.
The location was also tricky as Fred had been crudely buried in a shallow grave near the River Trent in an area only accessible by a locked gate or a long walk down a narrow lane.
Chillingly, Fred was naked when his body was left at the tricky site - except for a pair of pink socks.
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He was described as someone who took care of himself and was wearing a ladies gold wedding band.
Police believed he had been left in the mound of earth for around six to 12 months before he was actually discovered.
This put his time of death in 1970 but limited by technology at the time and a lack of vital information, the case went cold.
Fred's chilling case remains the oldest unsolved murder on Staffordshire Police's books.
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In a bid to gain justice for Fred, officers carried out a facial reconstruction but no one recognised him.
They also attempted to find relatives by extracting DNA from his remains but again, there was no joy.
In 2017, police believed they had a breakthrough when a man got in touch after the baffling case was highlighted on Crimewatch.
His brother had gone missing in Wales in 1970 - but Fred's DNA was not a match.
Another development came in April 2023 when amateur sleuths believed they had solved the riddle.
Ken Davies, who runs the Fred The Head podcast, told how he believed Fred was a man called John Gick, who vanished in February 1969.
The 37-year-old had travelled to Liverpool from the Isle of Man for a scouting event but told colleagues had an appointment.
John then visited pals in Wirral before being attacked by a group of youths in a toilet.
His van was found abandoned on Liverpool Landing Stage but there has been no trace of John ever since.
Ken drew similarities between the two men - including John's age at the time he disappeared matching the bracket of 23 and 39 years that police gave to Fred.
He was also roughly the same height as 5ft 8ins Fred and the dates of his disappearance and Fred being killed matched up.
A mystery spanning over half a century - what we know about 'Fred the Head'
UK Missing Persons Bureau details on Fred, Case 06-024611:
Gender - Male
Age Range - 24 - 36
Ethnicity - White European
Height - 172cm (5 Ft 7 Ins)
Build - Thin
Date Found - 26 March 1971
Body Or Remains - Body
Male body was found in a shallow grave in a field off Newton Road, Burton. It is believed he had been there for nine to 12 months. He has a partial upper denture and had extensive dental work done less than six months before his death. His hands were small with short, well-kept nails.
Hair - Brown - Straight - Short
Eye Colour - Unknown
Distinguishing Features - Peculiarity - Deformed neck. Had a neck condition (torticollis) which would cause his head to lean to the right
Clothing - Socks - mustard-coloured heel and toe with the remainder a pinkish beige colour.
Jewellery - One ladies 9ct gold wedding ring on right finger manufactured in 1967/1968 by Henry Showell Ltd
Fred was found to have a neck condition known as torticollis that would have caused his head to hang to the right.
The podcaster believed John could have suffered from the same ailment after being attacked in a toilet.
At the time, police confirmed the information had been reported to them but Fred still has not been identified.
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Now, 53 years on from the horror, the force has issued a fresh appeal for information as the hunt for his killer continues.
A spokesperson told The Sun Online: “The matter is subject to periodical reviews to establish if any new lines of enquiry can be pursued.”
