We never knew where killer left mum's body; DAUGHTER REVEALS ANGUISH BEHIND 'NO BODY - NO PAROLE' CAMPAIGN.

Byline: NEAL KEELING neal.keeling@men-news.co.uk @nealkeelingmen

IN 2015, Tracy Richardson was at home in Swinton when she heard the news that would extinguish all hope of finding her murdered mum's body.

Eleven years earlier her mother, Michelle Gunshon, then 38, had been kidnapped, raped and killed by Martin Stafford.

While the killer had been jailed for life in 2012, Tracy and the rest of Michelle's family had no closure, because he had refused to say what he had done with her body.

The family clung to the hope of being able to give her a proper burial - until that day in 2015.

"I was at home with some friends when a car pulled up outside," Tracy said. "A woman knocked on the door and I realised it was my victim liaison officer. I asked her what was going on and she said Stafford had died in prison. At first I was relieved, but within a minute I thought, but what about my mum?" Stafford, 47, had died of pneumonia and liver disease.

Michelle had been staying at The Dubliner pub in Birmingham city centre while working as a security guard at The Clothes Show at the National Exhibition Centre in December 2004.

Stafford had a job collecting glasses at the same pub. He had a history of violence and within a few days of Michelle's disappearance he was a suspect. But he fled to his native Ireland and changed his identity. It would be eight years before he was found and put on trial.

Now Tracy, 35, is backing a campaign for a new law which would deny parole to murderers who refuse to disclose the whereabouts of their victim's remains. She is busy drumming up support, and will be collecting signatures for Helen's Law outside Swinton Civic Centre on Tuesday, August 14, from 11.30am.

Police have told her they suspect her mother may be buried under Birmingham's Bull Ring shopping centre as construction was going on there when she disappeared.

Tracy last heard from her mother Michelle at 10.30pm on December 3, 2004. She vividly remembers their final conversation.

"I rang my mum. She seemed tired," she said. "She was at the Dubliner pub. We were talking about Christmas, because I wanted a pair of shoes for work, and I said 'Mum if you can it would be great'. She said she would see what she could do. I asked if she was tired and she said yes. I said 'I'll let you go and speak to you tomorrow'. That was the last time we spoke."

The following day her mum's boss called to inform her that she was missing. "At first I thought she's gone off somewhere, she will be fine", Tracy said. "But within 24 hours I knew she was dead. I knew, it as a gut feeling that my mum was not coming home. I can't explain that."

Michelle's car was later found abandoned. Inside, police discovered Michelle's blood and genetic material from Stafford.

It is believed he had forced Michelle into her own car before attacking her.

Stafford was finally extradited from Ireland to stand trial for Michelle's murder in 2012. A witness described a conversation in which Stafford said he would dispose of a body by burying it.

Over the years, Tracy has retraced the route Stafford took on the night of the killing in her mother's car. However, Tracy accepts it is now unlikely she will ever get to say a proper goodbye to her mum.

"Even though there is not a great deal I can do now for my mum, I feel Helen's Law is important", Tracy said. "Murderers should not be allowed out of prison until they have revealed the location of a body. It is hard we can't give my mum a funeral, and say our goodbyes. We don't know where she is.

"The only person who knew that was Martin Stafford.

"It doesn't close at all. You just keep going.

"I have two kids to look after. My mum wouldn't want me to stop. Realistically, I don't think my mum will ever be found.

"There are others who we can help - like the family of Keith Bennett and Helen McCourt. We are getting there with Helen's Law. it does look positive, and we are still pushing."

CAPTION(S):

Tracy Richardson with a picture of her mother Michelle Gunshon. Inset bottom left, murderer Martin Stafford

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Publication:	Manchester Evening News (Manchester, United Kingdom)
Date:	Aug 8, 2018
Words:	740
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Topics:	Murder