Bruce Roger Gapper

Bruce Roger Gapper vanished on 16 March 1999.

The police later launched a murder inquiry in March 2015.

He was last seen outside his house in Groves Hall Road, Dewsbury Moor on 14 March 1999. When he had left he had appeared to have been in a hurry and had left a half-eaten sandwich behind and a nearly full drink.

His red Peugeot 309 saloon car was later found with fire damage on the Monday morning at the junction of Castle Hill Side and Lumb Lane, near the Castle Hill Monument in Huddersfield.

His bank card was used three times after he was last seen, in Heckmondwike, Scarisbrick and Morley.

He had been to the Frontier nightclub in Batley on the night of Saturday 13 March 1999, leaving for home at 2.30am on 14 March 1999. He later spoke to his father on the phone at 11.10am on 14 March and then at 1.20pm he was seen by his neighbour unloading shopping from his car. A friend then later called for him at his house but got no reply.

The following day his bank card was used in Heckmondwike at an ATM at 3.47am. Later, at 6.30am his car was found with fire damage at the corner of Castle Hill Side and Lumb Lane.

He had been due to turn up for work at Dukes Transport in Huddersfield where he was a lorry driver at 7am but didn't show up. He ordinarily drove his wagon making deliveries around the Manchester area.

He was reported missing the next day at 1.18pm.

The following day his bank card was again used in Scarisbrick near Southport at 2.49am and then again the following day, Thursday 18 March 1999 in the Morley area.

When the police launched their murder inquiry in 2015 they made a call for two of Bruce Gapper's former housemates to come forward. He had lived with them at separate times during 1998. One of them was a woman that had been in her 30's and was described as being tall, with a slim build and dark wavy shoulder-length hair and as being well spoken. The man was described as being in his early 20's and as having dark brown hair. He was said to have worn either a full-length leather coat or a blue RAF style overcoat. He was also said to have occasionally visited the Frontier nightclub and to have worked in the Manchester area.

Bruce Gapper was described as a creature of habit and was said to have gone to the Frontier nightclub in Batley every Saturday night and was well known in the club community who also regularly went there and that he knew people through the club that lived in the surrounding Kirklees and Wakefield areas.

He was described as a hardworking man that kept himself to himself and that his disappearance was completely out of character. It was noted that he hadn't contacted his parents and had made no arrangements for his cat to be fed.

Bruce Gapper was described as 5ft 8in tall with a stocky build, balding brown hair with blue eyes and wore spectacles and was normally clean shaven.