Police in Southampton have have reopened the investigation into the 1989 murder of a man in Shirley and are appealing to the public for information.
On Monday 16th October 1989, Richard Haywood, commonly known as Ricky, was just 36-years-old when he was killed in his flat above Ambiance Jewellers on Shirley Road. The charity Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information given to them anonymously and exclusively, that leads to the arrest and conviction of anybody responsible for Ricky’s murder.
To date no one has been charged with the murder of Ricky, who was shot numerous times at close range. Officers from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Major Crime team are looking into the details of the case and conducting a review of all the evidence available to them. The advancements in forensic science over the past 35 years will now allow the investigation to pursue this as one of the main lines of enquiry.
Detective Inspector Elizabeth Brunt, who is now leading the investigation, said: “As we review the evidence available to us, I would like to appeal to anyone out there that may hold information about what happened to come forward and speak to us. I believe someone knows why Ricky was killed and who was responsible. Whatever your allegiances, you would be doing the right thing by telling us what you know.
“I would urge those people to think about Ricky’s family who have waited more than 35 years to find out why someone killed him. While Ricky’s mother died broken hearted, the rest of his family are desperate to know the truth. We need to give his family the answers they rightly deserve, to get justice for them and for Ricky. Your help is needed and now is the time to communicate what you know, either directly, anonymously or through a third party – doing nothing is no longer an option.
Beth Simpson, Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Ricky’s heartbroken family still don’t have answers or justice. Our charity is offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information given exclusively to us that leads to the arrest, charge and conviction of anybody responsible for his murder.
“If you have information, however small, please speak up and tell Crimestoppers 100% anonymously. If you prefer not to talk to the police, you can tell us what you know, and we’ll pass it on for you, it is not too late. We are independent of the police and won’t ask for any personal details, there’ll be no police contact or witness statements, and you won’t have to go to court. Nobody will know you contacted us.”
In a statement issued via police, Ricky’s sister said: “We cannot express enough the huge impact Ricky’s death has had on us.
“The pain never goes away. My mum never had peace and it slowly ate away at her, she went to her grave never knowing who committed this awful crime.
“I as Ricky’s sister have to live with the pain of his murder and knowing how my mum suffered too.
“We pray this new appeal will urge someone to come forward and hopefully after all these years find justice and closure.”
Anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, can contact police on 101 quoting Operation Tango/44080416574 or visit the police public portal to submit information online.
You can also provide your information 100% anonymously, by calling the charity Crimestoppers, who are independent of the police, at any time on 0800 555 111 or by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org. Only information submitted via Crimestoppers is eligible for the £20,000 reward they are offering. This reward offer will expire on 31 December 2024.
