Home / Crime and Justice / DNA Solves 30-Year-Old Brutal Murder of French Teen in UK
DNA Solves 30-Year-Old Brutal Murder of French Teen in UK
19 Dec
Summary
- A French teenager vanished hitchhiking in the UK in 1995.
- Her body was found 10 days later, raped and murdered.
- DNA testing on the body led to the arrest of a lorry driver.
It has been 30 years since 19-year-old Celine Figard vanished while hitchhiking from France to visit family in the UK for Christmas. Celine was last seen accepting a lift in a lorry on December 19, 1995, and was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered ten days later in Worcestershire woods, having been subjected to a violent sexual assault and murder.
The investigation into Celine's murder became one of the largest DNA screening programs in the UK at the time. Police meticulously tested drivers of white Mercedes lorries, eventually matching DNA from Celine's body to Stuart Morgan. Morgan, who had a history of violence, was found to have concealed Celine's belongings and attempted to tamper with evidence related to his lorry's travel logs.
Despite a near-miss where Morgan was stopped by police with Celine's body undiscovered in his vehicle, he was eventually brought to justice. Morgan was convicted of murder in October 1996 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The case left a lasting impact on the communities involved and Celine's family, with a memorial garden created in her memory.
