MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1988-56
Louise Kay
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Missing From:
Eastbourne, East Sussex
Summary:
Louise Kay was last seen in the early hours of Friday 24 June 1988 driving off in her father's car. Neither Louise nor the car has ever been found. The Sussex teen, who was just 18-years-old, vanished without a trace in 1988 after a night out in Eastbourne. Mark Williams-Thomas, says he is "certain" notorious serial killer Peter Tobin killed the 18-year-old.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
On Thursday the 23rd of June, 18-year-old Louise, her boyfriend Pete and some friends went to a disco at Eastbourne Pier. The group left the disco in the early hours of Friday morning. Louise was driving, so she gave everyone a lift home. At some point along the way, Louise and Pete had an argument about a trip that they were planning to go on to Newquay to get summer jobs. Pete got out of the car, leaving Louise and her friend Sarah. At around 4 am, Louise dropped Sarah off at her home. Sarah asked if Louise wanted to go inside, but she said she did not feel like it. There are two different accounts of what Louise told Sarah before driving off. One was that she was going home, and the other was that she was going to Beachy Head. Louise's house, which she shared with her parents, Sylvia and Paul, near Eastbourne in Sussex, was just four miles away from where Sarah lived.
Additional Details:
In 1994 a BBC Crimewatch re-construction of the case was broadcast, but the response was disappointing and produced no new useful lines of enquiry. At the time of Louise's disappearance he was living in Brighton but working as a hotel handyman 24 miles along the coast in Eastbourne – a mile or so from where the 18-year-old went missing. Anagram also linked Tobin to the 1988 disappearance of Louise Kay, 18, from Beachy Head, Sussex. However, Operation Anagram - conducted by Sussex Police between 2008 and 10 - looked at unsolved murders in the county and two addresses in Brighton and Portslade linked to Tobin were searched. Nothing was found and there were no further developments. We have no evidence implicating Peter Tobin or any other named or known individual in the murder of Jessie Earl or in the disappearance of Louise Kay. Mark Williams-Thomas linked Tobin to the disappearance of Louise Kay in a 2018 ITV documentary 'The Investigator: A British Crime Story'. Tobin died at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh after becoming unwell in prison.
Case Last Updated:
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Share what you learnTimeline of Events
Mark Williams-Thomas linked Tobin to the disappearance of Louise Kay in a 2018 ITV documentary 'The Investigator: A British Crime Story'.
Operation Anagram initiated to investigate links between Peter Tobin and unsolved murders.
In August 2004, as part of a review of missing person cases, a further investigation was conducted.
Louise dropped Sarah off at her home at around 4 am.
Louise was last seen in the early hours of Friday 24 June 1988 driving off in her father's car.
Louise, her boyfriend Pete and some friends went to a disco at Eastbourne Pier. The group left the disco in the early hours of Friday morning.
A BBC Crimewatch re-construction of the case was broadcast.
Associated Persons
Peter T. (Person of Interest) - Deceased
Pete U. (Boyfriend) - Living
Sarah U. (Friend) - Living
Paul K. (Father) - Living
Nicola S. (Sibling) - Living
Sylvia K. (Mother) - Living
Mark W. (Investigator) - Living
Related Stories & Podcasts
Family Tree
Why is this important?Missing person
Father
Mother
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Father
Mother
Missing Person
Missing Person
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