A man, Trevor Dunkley, aged 66, faces charges in connection with the murder of Patricia Lashley, a mother of seven who disappeared from the West Midlands in 1998. The West Midlands Police announced the charges on Thursday, stating that Lashley was last seen at her residence in Hall Street, Dudley.
Dunkley has been detained pending a court appearance at Wolverhampton Crown Court scheduled for Monday. Authorities are offering support to Lashley’s family and are seeking additional information from individuals who knew her during the time of her disappearance.
Known as Pat or Jade to her acquaintances, Lashley was 33 years old when she went missing and had connections to Newcastle, London, Wales, and Scotland. She also utilized the aliases Vanessa and Tricia, along with the surname Bradford.
Investigators revealed that Lashley relocated to Dudley in the mid-1990s and frequented local establishments such as the No Limits club and other pubs. It is believed that she and Trevor Dunkley were acquainted with each other.
Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell urged anyone who had interactions with Patricia or Dunkley to come forward. She emphasized Lashley’s familiarity in Dudley town center and Oldbury, encouraging anyone with information to share it to assist in the investigation.
Individuals with relevant details are encouraged to contact 101 and reference log 3984 dated July 7.