Ex-Wife of Serial Killer Pleads for Truth in Decades-Old Missing Person Case
Diane Cole, the former wife of convicted serial killer Steve Wright, has made an emotional public appeal, urging him to "tell the truth" about his potential involvement in the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh forty years ago. The Metropolitan Police are currently re-examining links between Wright and Lamplugh, focusing on their time working together aboard the luxury liner QE2.
Police Reopen Investigation Into Historical Connection
The Metropolitan Police's cold case homicide unit is conducting a fresh review of Operation Phoebus, the original investigation into Lamplugh's 1986 disappearance. Detectives are specifically probing connections to Wright, who is serving a whole life tariff for the murders of five women in Ipswich in 2006. Diane Cole, 71, who met and married Wright while both worked on the QE2, expressed relief that authorities are revisiting this potential link.
"I'm so pleased. Her disappearance has always haunted me. We need answers," Cole stated. "I've always been convinced he is behind even more murders than the six women he is behind bars for killing."
Shipboard Connections and Suspicious Timing
Both Wright and Lamplugh were employed on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. Lamplugh worked as a beautician beginning in 1983, while Wright served as a steward. According to official records and witness accounts:
- The QE2 docked in Southampton on the morning of July 28, 1986—the exact day Lamplugh vanished after going to meet a client known only as "Mr. Kipper" in London.
- Multiple former crew members confirm Wright knew Lamplugh during their time on the ship, with some describing him as particularly attentive toward her.
- Diane Cole recalls seeing Wright "chatting up Suzy" on two occasions in a corridor outside Lamplugh's cabin.
- Cole remembers Wright making a surprise visit to their Essex home around the time of Lamplugh's disappearance, which she now questions as a potential alibi attempt.
Wright's Criminal History and Recent Admissions
Steve Wright, known as the "Suffolk Strangler," was convicted in 2008 for murdering five sex workers: Tania Nicol, Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell, and Annette Nicholls. He recently admitted to killing 17-year-old Victoria Hall after a night out in Felixstowe—his first admission of guilt despite already serving a life sentence.
"Maybe he's ready to own up. He needs to tell the truth," Cole said regarding her ex-husband. She described Lamplugh as a "real beauty" whom men "flocked round" on the ship, adding that she can still picture Lamplugh's face clearly decades later.
The Unsolved Disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh
Suzy Lamplugh was 25 years old and had been working as an estate agent for approximately sixteen months when she disappeared. Key details of the case include:
- She left her Fulham office after 12:40 PM on July 28, 1986, to show a property to "Mr. Kipper."
- Her white Ford Fiesta was found badly parked approximately one mile from the property, with the handbrake off and her purse in the door pocket.
- The driver's seat was positioned further back than usual, suggesting someone else may have driven the vehicle.
- Multiple witnesses reported seeing a woman matching Lamplugh's description leaving the property with a man around 1:00 PM.
- Police frogmen searched the nearby Thames River in the initial investigation.
While convicted killer John Cannan was long considered the prime suspect—and even died in custody last year—authorities never had sufficient evidence to charge him. Wright's name only entered the investigation in 2006, and it is believed he has never been formally questioned about Lamplugh's disappearance.
Ongoing Police Investigation
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman confirmed: "The Metropolitan Police Service's investigation into the disappearance and murder of Suzy Lamplugh is ongoing, and detectives remain committed to securing justice for her family. Over the years, hundreds of pieces of information have been carefully followed up by officers, and we continue to assess any new information brought to our attention."
Diane Cole has offered to speak with Metropolitan Police investigators about her knowledge of Wright's connection to Lamplugh, stating she was never questioned about this aspect during previous police interviews following Wright's arrest.
