Muriel McKay family offer landowner £40k to find body

The family of a woman mistaken for Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife and murdered say they have offered £40,000 to a landowner in an attempt to find her body.

The body of Muriel McKay, who was kidnapped in 1969, is believed to be buried on the farm in Hertfordshire.

Her family offered the money in exchange for access to Stocking Farm for a "small, targeted" search.

The landowner said he "very much sympathises" with the family.

"All I want is to pick up my grandmother's remains," said Ms McKay's grandson Mark Dyer.

Ms Mckay was the wife of Mr Murdoch's deputy Alick McKay - not Mr Murdoch - and she was held ransom for £1m.

Brothers Arthur and Nizamodeen Hosein were convicted for the kidnap and murder, but while Arthur died in prison in 2009, Nizamodeen is still alive in Trinidad and Tobago where he was deported to after serving his sentence.

Hosein recently admitted to hiding her body on the farm near Bishop's Stortford, although has claimed she died of a heart attack.

The family say he is willing to return to the UK to show the exact spot where the body lies.

But they say the current owner of the farm has refused access, and also claim the Metropolitan Police are being "completely unhelpful".

Mr Dyer described the situation as "absurd".

"Nizam Hosein said she's wrapped in a coat and hidden somewhere by the barn," he said. "Isn't that chilling?"

The Metropolitan Police searched Stocking Farm in March 2022 but found nothing.

In their letter to farm owner Ian de Burgh Marsh, the family wrote: "We agreed to a limited search previously and now the circumstances have changed as we have specific information as to the burial location from the person who actually dug the grave."

A statement sent to the BBC on behalf of Mr Marsh said he "very much sympathises with the family and hopes they can find closure over this tragedy".

"Mr Marsh is in regular conversation with the Metropolitan Police over this matter. He has at all times been fully cooperative with their investigation and every time the police have asked for access to his land, he has granted it to them," the statement said.

The Met Police said it carried out an "extensive search" in 2022 with the landowner's consent.

It said a number of experts were involved including forensic archaeologists and anthropologists, using radar to identify any "anomalies" below the earth.

"We understand how frustrating and difficult this matter has been for Muriel's family and remain in contact with them," a spokesperson said.

Mr Dyer was six years old when his grandmother was kidnapped and has fond memories of her.

"I made a promise to Alick McKay that I would find her one day. I've got to give this everything. I'm going to get her for my mother, my uncle, and my family - and for me."

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