Mystery of girl, 9, whose disappearance in 1973 was linked to notorious child serial killer – but cops are STILL baffled

POLICE have issued a fresh appeal over the mysterious death of a nine-year-old girl whose disappearance was linked to a child serial killer.

Christine Markham left her home in Scunthorpe on May 21, 1973, and was never seen again.

Christine Markham disappeared in 1973

In the 49 years since she vanished, there have been a number of chilling theories surrounding her disappearance.

Some believe she was murdered by child serial killer Robert Black while her death was also linked to the “Saturday Night Strangler” Joseph Kappen.

But police are still no closer to bringing justice to Christine’s family and finally solving the decades-long mystery.

A spokesperson for Humberside Police told The Sun Online: “Our officers remain dedicated in trying to piece together what happened to Christine and this remains an ongoing investigation.

“Unfortunately, no new information has come to us recently.

“However, if anybody has any information, no matter how small you think it is, we would ask that you come forward so that we can look into it.”

Christine had walked part-way to school with her siblings when they boarded a bus to take them on the rest of their journey.

They saw their sister from the bus window turn around and walk back in the direction they had just come from.

A huge search was launched for the youngster with around 2,000 witness statements taken by police.

There were also multiple sightings but no trace of Christine was ever found.

Eventually, police confirmed Christine was presumed dead.

Due to the nature of her disappearance and the year she was last seen, Christine’s death has since been subject to a string of haunting theories.

In 2002, police investigated whether Welsh serial killer Joseph Kappen was behind the killing.

The monster was posthumously linked by DNA evidence to three murders in 1973 – the year Christine vanished.

He is believed to have stayed in the area that summer and worked as a lorry driver in Scunthorpe.

BEYOND THE GRAVE

Kappen, who died from cancer in 1990, was finally unmasked as the feared Saturday Night Strangler from beyond the grave.

DNA taken from his femur and teeth after his body was exhumed was a match for the rape and murders of three teen girls in Port Talbot in 1973.

But with nothing concrete to tie him to Christine’s death, it remained a mystery.

Another potential breakthrough came in 2006 when an anonymous letter was sent to police.

Detectives revealed the note contained “information which may be helpful” but no further update was given.

The case took another chilling turn when paedo killer Robert Black was put in the frame as a prime suspect.

Black kidnapped and murdered four girls between 1981 and 1986 but was suspected of unsolved child murders in the UK dating back to 1969.

His reign of terror came to an end in 1990 when he was caught with a bound and gagged six-year-old girl in the back of his van.

The fiend travelled the UK as a van driver and was reportedly in Hull on the day Christine went missing.

MONSTER’S SECRET

Years later, a witness came forward to reveal Black had divulged information about “eight or nine” other cases – including Christine’s.

The informant opened up to cold case expert and former police officer Chris Clark and said Black “revealed information only a guilty man could have known”.

Up to 40 cases of child murder and abduction were investigated in the 1990s as possibly being linked to Black.

But he refused to cooperate with police and took his secrets to the grave.

Police were on the brink of charging him with the murder of 13-year-old Genette Tate in Devon in 1978 when he died in prison in 2016.

Mr Clark said : “The evidence is compelling. In my opinion, Black was the only real suspect in these cases and more.

“His psychopathic tendencies were constant, he was every parent’s worst nightmare and his lust for killing was endless.”

DNA was taken from Christine’s family in the hope police could identify her if she is ever found.

Tragically, her mum left the porch light on every single night for the youngster in case she returned home.

Her parents have since both died without ever finding out what happened to their daughter.

Anyone with information can call Humberside Police on 101.

PA:Press AssociationChristine’s disappearance has been linked to serial killer Robert Black[/caption]

PA:Press AssociationPolice confirmed he killed missing newspaper girl Genette Tate[/caption]