South Yorkshire Police have begun excavating a field off Piper Lane in Aston, Rotherham, in an effort to find the remains of Teresa Shephard, who disappeared and is believed to have been murdered in June 1995. She was 26 years old at the time of her disappearance.
Her body has never been recovered. The following year, in 1996, her ex-boyfriend Peter Turner was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison. Turner, who was 54 at the time of the article's publication, was formerly of Doncaster Road, Worksop.
The field being excavated is situated between Shephard's former home in Basegreen, Sheffield, and Worksop, where Turner lived when the murder occurred. Police anticipate their presence at the site will continue for several days.
During Turner's trial at Sheffield Crown Court in 1996, it was stated that Shephard had gone missing after leaving her home to meet someone. Detectives identified Turner as a suspect after discovering spots of her blood inside his car. He denied murder, claiming he had not seen Shephard on the night she vanished, but was found guilty by the court.
Teresa Shephard's family has been informed of the ongoing search and the police's efforts to locate her remains. A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police stated that the force will continue to keep the family updated on the inquiries, and that the family requests their privacy be respected.
