POLICE are making a fresh appeal for information about the bizarre disappearance of a 64-year-old Ewell man who was?found dead in the River Mole in Leatherhead, amid rumours described as “not helpful to his family".
The body of music lover and football fan David Agnew, known by friends as Davie, was recovered from the river near Randalls Road crematorium on Sunday, August 8 this year.
Officers are now unsure of the whereabouts of Mr Agnew for three full days prior to the discovery of the body.
After that time there were no definite sightings and police are asking anyone who can help piece together his movements to come forward.
As well as unconfirmed sightings, police have also had to deal with a number of rumours about Mr Agnew and the circumstances surrounding his death.
A friend of his, who did not wish to be named, said reports that he had been presented with divorce papers soon before his death had been misinterpreted.
“Those must be the unhelpful rumours the police are referring to,” he said. “But the implication is untrue.
"It just so happened there were some papers arriving the week before. The whole divorce process was amicable.
“There was another rumour that he was not too well, which wasn’t true. Another implication that he was completely penniless also wasn’t true.”???????
A post-mortem examination recorded the cause of death as being consistent with drowning. An inquest has been opened and adjourned and the death is not being treated as suspicious.
But Surrey Police are still trying to piece together Mr Agnew’s movements in the days leading up to his death, and are keen to find out why he was in the Leatherhead area.
"Extensive inquiries"
Officers?have stressed they want to hear from people who “genuinely” knew him or “definitely” saw him or heard from him at any time from the Friday before he was found dead (August 6).
It had originally been assumed he had gone to Leatherhead on the Sunday, but reported sightings have not been confirmed and he was apparently not seen in Ewell after the?Friday lunchtime.
Other friends, who described Mr Agnew as a “real character”, are as puzzled as police as to?what he was doing in Leatherhead.
He was a regular at pubs?around Epsom and Ewell and there was a possible sighting of him on Saturday, August 7 close to the Kings Arms in East Street, Epsom.
It is believed he may have been planning to meet someone to watch a football match on the Sunday.
Detective Sergeant Eddie Poole said: “Despite almost three months of extensive inquiries we are no closer to finding out why Mr Agnew was in Leatherhead and what happened on the day he died.
“He was incredibly well-known in Ewell and enjoyed singing in the local pubs.
“There are a large number of rumours circulating and these are not helpful to his family and only serve to impede our investigation.”
DS Poole urged people: “If you do remember seeing Mr Agnew at any point over those three days, then please get in touch.
“I want to provide some closure for the family and put an end to all the rumour and confusion which has resulted from this tragedy.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact DS Poole on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference MV/10/3403.
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