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Killing of Patsy Morris

UNSOLVED2007Hounslow Heath, London, UK2 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Patricia "Patsy" Morris was a 14-year-old schoolgirl living in Isleworth, west London, who attended Feltham Comprehensive School. On 16 June 1980, she left school during her lunch break, reportedly to retrieve a forgotten raincoat. A possible sighting placed a girl matching her description at a bus stop on Staines Road around 12:20–12:40 p.m.; these were the last reported sightings of her. A large search followed her disappearance.

Two days later, on the evening of 18 June 1980, a police dog handler found Morris's body in a wooded area on Hounslow Heath, close to her home. She was fully clothed and had been strangled with a ligature; there were no signs of sexual assault.

The initial investigation included appeals for information and questioning of Morris's classmates but produced no arrest. In 1996 the case was reopened and a man was arrested, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute. The case was later reviewed for possible links to convicted serial killers Peter Tobin (in 2007, under Operation Anagram) and Levi Bellfield, who had attended the same school as Morris; in each instance police found no evidence connecting them to her murder. Morris's case remains officially unsolved.

Key facts

Victims
Patsy Morris
Date
2007
Location
Hounslow Heath, London, UK
Case status
unsolved

Case timeline

  1. 1979

    Morris and her family move from Birmingham to Isleworth, west London.

  2. 1980-06-16

    Patsy Morris disappears after leaving Feltham Comprehensive School during her lunch break.

  3. 1980-06-18

    Morris's body is found strangled in undergrowth on Hounslow Heath.

  4. 1980-12

    Police appeal for a driver of a blue van seen near the crime scene to come forward.

  5. 1996-07-08

    Police arrest a 33-year-old Hounslow man in a reopened investigation.

  6. 1996-10

    The Crown Prosecution Service declines to prosecute the 1996 suspect.

  7. 2007

    Case reviewed for possible links to Scottish serial killer Peter Tobin under Operation Anagram.

  8. 2008-02

    Police investigate a reported confession attributed to Levi Bellfield.

  9. 2011

    Operation Anagram investigation into Tobin winds down with no conclusive findings; Bellfield convicted of the murder of Milly Dowler.

  10. 2012

    Reports suggest Bellfield may have been ruled out as a suspect in the Morris case.

  11. 2015

    Chris Clark and Tim Tate publish a book alleging possible links between Morris's murder and Peter Sutcliffe.

  12. 2016

    Reports indicate renewed police reinvestigation of possible links between Bellfield and other unsolved crimes, including Morris's case; police later state all leads have been exhausted.

  13. 2020

    Following Peter Sutcliffe's death, a Freedom of Information request confirms his DNA is on the national database, allowing him to be ruled out of cases with existing DNA evidence.

  14. 2022

    ITV documentary based on Clark and Tate's book airs without featuring the Morris case.

Best coverage

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People

  • Patsy Morris

    VICTIM

    14-year-old schoolgirl strangled on Hounslow Heath on 16 June 1980; case remains unsolved.

  • Levi Bellfield

    CHARGED

    Investigated over an alleged confession to Morris's murder made to a cellmate; never formally charged in connection with her death. Separately convicted of the murder of Milly Dowler and other attacks.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Hounslow Heath, London, UK

51.4573, -0.4083

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
14-year-old Patsy Morris left her school in Feltham, London, during lunch on 16 June 1980 and was found strangled on Hounslow Heath two days later. Despite multiple investigations and reviews of possible links to other offenders, her murder remains unsolved.
Where did the killing happen?
Hounslow Heath, London, UK.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: unsolved.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Patsy MorrisWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The GuardianThe Guardian · 2026-07-10