On the 35th anniversary of her murder British police and the victim’s family have released an appeal for help solving the unsolved 1984 murder of the 33 year-old Shelly Morgan.
Central to the new appeal from Avon and Somerset police are two postcards from a calendar sold by a local hospice charity and interestingly, an Olympus OM20 SLR camera.
In a post by Avon and Somerset police, they state:
“The tear-off postcards are from a calendar sold by the local Bristol Hospice charity in the 1980s or 1990s. One is of a scene overlooking the River Avon in Bristol, taken from Bower Ashton – just below the Clifton Suspension Bridge, while the other is of St Andrew’s Church, from the direction of Backwell Hill.”
“Both locations are significant as they are linked to the areas where Shelley was heading for on the day she disappeared, and where her body was found five months later.”
The appeal goes on to state:
“In addition, Shelley’s camera equipment has never been found, particularly an Olympus OM20 camera, which cost £130 at the time. This camera is still popular with collectors and photography students now. The missing 35mm camera will have the serial number 1032853 on it.”
“Shelley was carrying the camera, along with a tripod and sketching materials in a large patchwork-style shoulder bag. This bag has never been found, nor has the clothing she was wearing, including red-framed glasses.”
The question to EMULSIVE readers and members of the wider film photography community is: have you seen or do you own a camera matching this description and with the serial number 1032853?
The family of Shelley Morgan has also released an appeal for further information, as well as a victim impact statement, which you can view here.
Read the BBC article or Avon and Somerset police statement.
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I have an OM20 but the serial number is different. Not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed.