Inquest Commences into Death of Suzy Lamplugh Case Suspect

An inquest has been informed that an individual, convicted of murder and suspected in the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, passed away from natural causes while incarcerated. John Cannan received a prison sentence in 1989 for the rape and murder of Shirley Banks, a newlywed from Bristol. Furthermore, he was considered the primary suspect in the unresolved murder case of Ms Lamplugh, a 25-year-old from London, who vanished in 1986, with her remains never recovered. Cannan passed away at the age of 70 on 6 November at HMP Full Sutton, located in East Yorkshire; an inquiry into his death was initiated and subsequently postponed at Hull Coroner’s Court. During a five-minute session, Lorraine Harris, serving as the area coroner for Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, stated that a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm was the cause of his demise. She also mentioned that prison officer Gary Stockdale identified Cannan, and several reports are to be compiled in advance of a comprehensive inquest, for which a date has not yet been determined. Cannan received a life sentence for the abduction and murder of Mrs Banks, a 29-year-old factory manager, in addition to two other rape convictions. Mrs Banks was abducted following a shopping excursion in Bristol. Cannan’s arrest occurred 11 days subsequent to this event in Birmingham, where certain belongings of Mrs Banks were discovered. Her remains were subsequently located in a stream within Somerset. Ms Lamplugh vanished on 28 July 1986, following a meeting with a client in Fulham, who was identified only as “Mr Kipper” and whose whereabouts were never established. Reports indicate that Cannan acquired the nickname “Kipper” during a previous period of imprisonment. Furthermore, he resembled an e-fit composite image of an individual observed conversing with Ms Lamplugh on the day of her disappearance, believed to be the enigmatic Mr Kipper. While incarcerated, Cannan was interrogated regarding her disappearance, but no formal charges were ever filed against him. In 2018, law enforcement conducted a search of the rear garden at his mother’s previous residence in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, yet no findings were made. The parole board determined in October 2023 that Cannan, classified as a category A prisoner, posed too significant a risk for release. The panel was informed that Cannan continued to assert his innocence and had not participated in any approved programs designed to mitigate the risk of reoffending during his imprisonment. Subsequent to his passing, Ms Lamplugh’s brother expressed that the family would never achieve a sense of closure. Richard Lamplugh, aged 64, stated he was “not mourning John Cannan” but was instead left lamenting the “loss of him ever giving us closure”.