Police have today confirmed to the Comet that their investigation into the disappearance of Gosmore farmer William Taylor is being treated as a murder inquiry.
A spokeswoman for the Herts force confirmed this to the Comet after we enquired about a heavy police presence today near the B655 between Hitchin and Hexton – which she said related to the missing farmer.
William, known as Bill, was last seen at about 9pm at his home south of Hitchin on Sunday, June 3 – eight days before his 70th birthday.
He had, days before going missing, reported an arson attack on his Land Rover.
Police have since carried out extensive searches around the farmland surrounding his home at Harkness Hall, and issued numerous appeals to try to find him.
More than 100 specialist volunteers have come from as far away as Dorset to help look for William. North Herts Chief Inspector Julie Wheatley said last month that police were “conducting enquiries into William’s lifestyle” as part of their investigation.
She added that “a number of reported sightings” had not yielded positive results.
Ch Insp Wheatley told the Comet on June 25 that police had looked at William’s mobile phone records and bank accounts as part of their investigation, but could not at that time give further details.
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