It has been Burton’s longest unsolved mystery and has baffled police for decades. Dubbed the "Fred the Head" case, the body was found buried near the River Trent - but who murdered him?
The story has now been taken up by BBC One’s Crimewatch Roadshow as forensic analysis takes a step forward in the hope that he may finally be identified and dental records have revealed he could be missing man John Henry Jones.
We know the man came to a sad end in a shallow grave on an island near the River Trent, in Burton, and that he has been unidentified since his discovery in 1971, but news that the family of John Henry Jones have come forward could finally put an end to the mystery.
It is unfortunate that his remains have never been identified, especially after breakthroughs in advanced DNA technology over the years. It is hoped now his ghost can finally be laid to rest and, at the same time, John Henry Jones’ family may finally understand what happened to him.
John Henry Jones has been missing from his North Wales home since 1970, while the body buried in Burton was discovered a year later, having probably been dumped there some 12 to 18 months previously.
The body was found naked, apart from a pair of pink socks, and was wearing a gold wedding ring. He also had his hands and feet tied, suggesting his death was not an accident.
Even if forensics reveal that Mr Jones is not the body in question, we hope the families of both men reach their happy ending and find out what really happened to their loved ones.
