A body has been discovered in the search for a missing man who never returned home after telling his family he was on his way back from a trip. Lee Horton, 36, informed his family on March 11 that he would be coming home from Bristol, but he never arrived.
He was reported missing the following day, March 12. CCTV footage showed Lee, from Evesham, disembarking a train at Gloucester station on the afternoon of March 11 before he disappeared without a trace.
Gloucestershire Police confirmed today that a body has been found in Gloucester during the search for Lee. Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the force confirmed that Lee’s family have been informed.
Gloucestershire Police stated: “A body was found in Gloucester yesterday (Tuesday) during the search for a 36-year-old man who had been reported missing from Evesham. While formal identification has not yet taken place, Lee Horton’s family has been informed. The circumstances of the death are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Lee last contacted his family on March 11, informing them that he was in Bristol and planning to take a train home. His family reportedly weren’t concerned about his trip as it wasn’t unusual for Lee, who enjoyed exploring new places, reports the Mirror.
In a baffling twist, Lee’s subsequent actions have left authorities puzzled. Although he purchased a ticket to return to Worcester station, there is no evidence that Lee ever disembarked there.
Surveillance footage revealed that while Lee did board the train from Bristol, he alighted at Gloucester station later that day.
On March 11, in the morning hours, Lee attempted to check into a Bristol hotel but was denied entry due to his preference for cash payment in a card-only establishment. Since midday on March 11, when Lee last reached out to his relatives, there has been no financial or phone activity recorded.
Consequently, police resorted to CCTV to trace his whereabouts.
An extensive review of nearly 100 CCTV feeds tracked Lee’s journey from Upper Maudlin Street back to Bristol Temple Meads station. It was confirmed by detectives that Lee bought a ticket to Worcester with cash and boarded a train around 2:40 pm.
Despite arriving at Worcester Shrub Hill station, it was verified that he did not exit the train there.
Law enforcement officials meticulously checked each stop along the line, ultimately determining that Lee had alighted at Gloucester. Footage captured him leaving Gloucester station at 3:33 pm, with the final sighting showing him departing ASDA Gloucester and heading towards Station Road at 3:46 pm.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Lee’s vanishing, his brother Kieran Horton, aged 30, issued an urgent plea for Lee to make contact or for anyone with information to assist in locating him. Kieran described the fortnight following Lee’s disappearance as an emotional “rollercoaster” for the family.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Kieran expressed the family’s deep worry for Lee’s safety and well-being. He emphasised that such a disappearance was “out of character” for Lee, whom he portrayed as a “friendly and loving guy” who “liked his own time and space”.
“We love him and he’s an important part of everybody’s lives,” Kieran stated. He continued: “Obviously, it has been very emotional like a rollercoaster. The worst part of it is the not knowing, not knowing anything. It’s very difficult.”
