08/06/00 - New lead in murder hunt
By Essex Evening Echo
Murder squad detectives are continuing new house-to-house questioning in Vange - after spending four months working at the wrong scene. New information has now ruled out the Barge pub car park, in Clay Hill Road, Vange, as the scene where 24-year-old Danny Davis was fatally stabbed in the buttock.
Mr Davis staggered to a friend's house in Oldwyk, Vange, after the attack late on Saturday, February 19. The father-of-one of Waldegrave, Basildon, died unexpectedly ten hours later at Basildon Hospital before police got the chance to speak to him.
However, detectives have now revealed they believe the nearby Ryedene estate was in fact the scene of the stabbing. As a result, questioning and a fingertip search in the delayed hunt for the murder weapon will continue yesterday (Wednesday).
Detectives have vowed they will trace the three men responsible for the attack Det Insp Cliff Haines admits the inquiry team has always remained unsure the Barge car park was where Mr Davis was stabbed.
He said: "We have been following unconfirmed rumours trying to identify alternative scenes. "From our extensive inquiries we are now sure the scene is around the flats at Ryedene. We are always confident of tracking the attackers and finding out the truth - there is no way we are going to let up on this.
"We will solve this case - it was a particularly brutal stabbing - and we hope someone in the Basildon area who knows who the killers are will come forward. The people who did this are not the nicest, so we can understand some witnesses being frightened - don't be."
A definite motive for the murder has also not yet been identified. Three people were arrested shortly after the incident. One was released without charge while the remaining two, both 32 and from Basildon, were bailed again on connected charges of handling stolen goods and possession of class A drugs.
