Sylvia Stuart

Although a man has been convicted for the murders of Sylvia and Peter Stuart - a married couple from Weybread - an element of this case remains unsolved as Sylvia's body has not been found. 

Suffolk Police were contacted around 7.15am on Friday 3 June 2016 reporting Sylvia and Peter Stuart as missing after they hadn’t been seen since the previous weekend.

Officers immediately began enquiries and started searches in the vicinity of their Mill Lane home. Peter Stuart’s body was found close to the property around 7.15pm on Friday 3 June. Officers began a major investigation and Ali Qazimaj, 43, was subsequently charged and convicted for the murder of both Peter and Sylvia.

Despite numerous enquiries to locate Sylvia, including extensive searches around the Stuart’s home address, the entire route between Weybread and Tilbury (where Qazimaj was from) and the home and workplace of Qazimaj, her body has not been found. Qazimaj - who refused to admit his guilt for these murders - has as such declined to provide any information regarding Sylvia's whereabouts. 

Contact details

Major Crime Review & Unsolved Case Manager: Andy Guy

Email: [email protected]

Call: 01953 423819

Alternatively, contact the charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Previous release

14 March 2017

A man has been jailed for life and will have to serve a minimum of 35 years after was found guilty of the murder of Weybread couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart.

Ali Qazimaj, also known as Vital Dapi and Marco Costa, who is believed to be either 43 or 44 years old, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today, Tuesday 14 March, for sentencing after being found guilty of the murders of Mr and Mrs Stuart yesterday.

He was told he would serve a mandatory life sentence and must serve a minimum of 35 years before he would be considered for parole.

Around 7.15am on Friday 3 June 2016 police receive a call from the daughter of Peter and Sylvia Stuart reporting concern for her parents who had not been seen since Saturday 28 May.

She had been unable to get in touch with them and had already asked friends and neighbours, and checked local hospitals, to try to locate them.

Officers attended their home address in Mill Lane, Weybread, near Diss, and confirmed the couple’s vehicle was at the property, and that items had been left as though they had been suddenly interrupted, rather than as if they had been planning to leave. This immediately raised concerns and police began enquiries to try and find them.

By midday police were very concerned. Initial checks had been carried out and it was quickly confirmed it was extremely out of character for Peter, 75, and Sylvia, 69, not have been in touch with anyone and not to have attended the social events that they would usually have gone to without notifying anyone that they wouldn’t be there.

DCI Andy Guy from the joint Suffolk and Norfolk Major Investigation Team became involved when the duty senior officer for the day flagged the incident to him and he would take on the enquiry. He headed to the Stuart’s home.

During the afternoon a media release was put together and issued, appealing for help to trace the couple, and a full search was started at the premises, with qualified search officers beginning in the home and working out from there. Meanwhile further enquiries were being made to see if there had been any sightings of Peter or Sylvia since Saturday 28 May.

As the afternoon progressed it became apparent that this would be a significant investigation and at 6.30pm police announced that they feared the couple may have been victims of crime and arranged a media facility for the following day.

Then, at 7.15pm on Friday 3 June, police made a discovery – the body of Peter Stuart in woodland just a short distance from the back of his home. He had sustained multiple stab wounds and had been wrapped in a piece of garden material. The area was cordoned off for a forensic examination.

As police declared a murder enquiry had been launched, work continued to try to locate Sylvia Stuart.

Searches continues and officers began looking into the couple’s life, background and possible movements. In particular, the enquiries looked at the use of Sylvia’s cash card in Grays in Essex.

On Sunday, 5 June, the name Ali Qazimaj had been given to police. He was said to be a carer for the Stuart’s son-in-law’s father.  Police began work to find out more about him and quickly became suspicious that he may have some involvement in the case. By Sunday evening police were convinced there was sufficient to make Qazimaj a suspect, and discussions were held as to whether to post him as wanted for the crime.

In the meantime police forces across the country had been put on alert to find him and his vehicle and, just before midnight on Sunday into Monday police in Kent reported finding his car close to the port of Dover.

Suffolk officers waited while Kent police opened the boot of the car, knowing there was a possibility Sylvia might be inside. She wasn’t, but the vehicle was seized for forensic examination. This yielded vital DNA evidence linking Qazimaj to both Peter and Sylvia.

More checks quickly revealed that Qazimaj had boarded a ferry from Dover just hours after publicity had started around the Stuart’s disappearance – adding more suspicion that he had some involvement.

On Monday 6 June police issued a wanted appeal to trace him, issuing his photograph to the media with an appeal for anyone with information about him or the couple – and particularly Sylvia’s whereabouts - to come forward.

It was known he had fled into Europe but there was no indication as to where he was heading. Police began looking at the most obvious options. Would he try to return to Kosovo or Albania? Where did he have family connections or friends? It was possible he could be anywhere in Europe or, from there, potentially anywhere in the world.

Relevant authorities were alerted and police began looking at how the word could be spread to media in Europe to assist with finding him.

The breakthrough came on Thursday 16 June after police in Luxembourg were contacted about a man, thought to be Qazimaj, at a hostel in Luxembourg City.  A member of staff working at a hostel identified Qazimaj through photographs of him on the internet and then alerted authorities who detained him.

He immediately began disputing that he was the man police in Suffolk were looking for.  Detectives from Suffolk continued to work with the National Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service and authorities in Luxembourg to seek his extradition.

It was a ploy that continued right through the court case. Suffolk Police initially had to satisfy authorities in Luxembourg that he was the suspect. Fingerprints held on file from the UK, due to a previous arrest in Essex were sent to Luxembourg. These matched. Further work had to be done but in due course it was accepted that he was the man that was sought and he was brought back to the UK.

DCI Andy Guy was one of those who went to collect him.

“Throughout the case he insisted he was not Qazimaj but an innocent asylum seeker from Albania - Vital Dapi. He was offered two opportunities to engage with the police to explore this claim but refused both. In an extradition case the police are not permitted to interview the suspect on return to UK, however evidence in the form of fingerprints, DNA, hand-writing samples and physical appearance including a mole and tattoo proved beyond reasonable doubt that Dapi, Qazimaj and Costa are all the same man. That man murdered Peter and Sylvia.

“His car provided the investigation with some of the most significant evidence. DNA from both Peter and Sylvia was found in the vehicle. Fifteen of Qazimaj’s fingerprints were also recovered from this car and his home in Tilbury. Other data proved this car had travelled from Tilbury to Weybread on several occasions in the months leading up to the murder and Qazimaj had also researched the Stuart’s family home on a works computer.

“Despite a huge number of officers from three counties completing hundreds of hours of searches Sylvia remains missing. Searches were conducted around the Stuart’s home address, the entire route between Weybread and Tilbury and the home and workplace of Qazimaj.

“The investigation team and I are pleased that the jury saw through the bizarre and unbelievable claims Qazimaj made in the court. The assertion that there was another man who looked identical to him, shared the same DNA and handwriting styles, and disappeared at the same time he appeared in Luxembourg is beyond belief, as is the claim that somehow his fingerprints were taken in Luxembourg and switched to implicate him.

“I have promised the family, who have shown a quiet dignity throughout, that I will continue to follow up any information that assists in locating Sylvia. I would also ask anyone who may have information to call us.”

Statement from Peter and Sylvia Stuart’s family;

To all those involved in bringing this case to trial and its eventually conclusion, we would like to offer our heartfelt thanks.  To Mr Khalil and Mr Jackson, the prosecuting barristers and their hardworking team, we thank you for your professionalism, attention to detail and the empathy shown to us during each stage of the trial. 

To Detective Chief Inspector Andy Guy, Detective Inspector Hayward and all of his team, we are so grateful for your support and kindness from the beginning of this ordeal and throughout the trial. It has been a great comfort to us as a family and without your hard work and diligence this conviction may not have been possible.

Our special thanks go to DC Leah and DC Evans, the Family Liaison Officers, for the comfort they gave us during the darkest times. We won't forget you!

Finally to the twisted individual who committed this wicked crime, we hope you spend the rest of your miserable existence reflecting on the utter senselessness and brutality of what you did to two innocent people and that maybe one day you will find the moral courage to tell us where Sylvia is, so that we may give her and our family some final peace.

We will not be offering any further statements or comments, therefore we would appreciate consideration with regards to our privacy allowing us to resume some semblance of normal life.

Previous Releases

Weybread murder trial date set 19/08/2016

The trial of a 43-year-old man charged with the murders of Weybread couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart will be held in January 2017. 
 
Ali Qazimaj, of no fixed abode, also known as Marco Costa and Vidal or Vital Dapi, was charged with two counts of murder on Friday 22 July. He was due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court today, Friday 19 August, for a further hearing but refused to leave his cell. Not guilty pleas were entered in his absence. 
 
He has been remanded in custody pending a trial that has been scheduled to start on 16 January 2017. 
 
Suffolk Police launched an investigation on Friday 3 June after Peter and Sylvia were reported as missing. Mr Stuart’s body was found close to their home in Mill Lane around 7.15pm that day. Mrs Stuart remains missing and enquiries continue to locate her, although her disappearance is being treated as murder.

Man charged with murder - Weybread 22/07/2016

A man has now been formally charged with the murder of Weybread couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart.

Ali Qazimaj, 43, of no fixed abode, also known as Marco Costa and Vidal or Vital Dapi, was at Ipswich Magistrates this morning, Friday 22 July, to be charged with two counts of murder in relation to the deaths of Peter and Sylvia.

He then appeared at Ipswich Crown Court this afternoon where he was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on Friday 19 August.

Man to be charged in connection with Weybread enquiry 21/07/2016

A 42-year-old man is due to appear before Ipswich Magistrates Court tomorrow to be charged in connection with the murder of Weybread couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart.

The 42-year-old man, who was detained on an European Arrest Warrant in Luxembourg on Thursday 16 June, was collected by police officers from the Suffolk and Norfolk joint Major Investigation Team and Suffolk extradition officers and brought back to the UK earlier today, Thursday 21 July.

He has been taken into custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre and will now appear before Ipswich Magistrates tomorrow morning, Friday 22 July, where he will be formally charged with the murder of Peter and Sylvia Stuart.

Weybread update - Extradition appeal 07/07/2016

Suffolk Police have received official confirmation that a 42-year-old man arrested in Luxembourg in connection with the murder of Peter and Sylvia Stuart is appealing his extradition to the UK.

Following a judgement for extradition on Monday, 4 July, he had a period of three days to appeal the decision of the Luxembourg court.

There will now be a 20-day period where this appeal is considered.

Suffolk Police are continuing to work to locate Sylvia Stuart and are renewing appeals for anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact the incident room by calling 01473 782000.

Weybread investigation update 29/06/2016

A 61-year-old man from Leicester arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of Peter Stuart and the disappearance of his wife Sylvia will now face no further police action.

A comprehensive investigation was launched after Peter and Sylvia were reported as missing on Friday 3 June. Peter’s body was found a short distance from the couple’s home at Mill Lane in Weybread that evening.

Following initial enquiries, around 8.30am on Sunday 5 June the 61-year-old man from Leicester was arrested in connection with the incident. He was later bailed to return to police, to allow further work to be carried out.

Detectives investigating exactly what occurred have now released him from his requirement to answer bail and at this stage of the investigation there is no evidence linking him with the murders.

A second man, detained in Luxembourg on Thursday 16 June following the issuing of a European Arrest Warrant for the murder of Peter and Sylvia, remains subject to extradition procedures. A judgement on the next stage of these proceedings is now due to be made in Luxembourg on Monday, 4 July.

Officers are continuing to carry out work to try to locate Sylvia Stuart and still asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to get in touch with the incident room by calling 01473 782000.