Lee Boxell
Lee Boxell, a 15-year-old football fan from Cheam, South London, mysteriously disappeared on September 10, 1988, after telling his parents he was going to watch a football match. Despite decades of investigations, including theories involving a local graveyard and a hangout spot known as "The Shed," Lee’s fate remains unknown, with no confirmed suspects.
Victim: Lee Boxell, 15​
​​Perpetrator: No confirmed suspects, though several arrests were made in relation to the case, including local individuals associated with "The Shed."
​​​Date of incident: Disappearance occurred on September 10, 1988
​Location: Cheam, South London
​Key facts:
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Lee lived with his parents, Peter and Christine Boxell, in Cheam, South London. The family had recently returned from living in Germany.
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Lee told his parents he planned to attend a football match, likely at Selhurst Park, but he was never seen at the stadium.
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He was last spotted in Sutton Town Centre, seen by friends near a Tesco (now Asda) around 2:20 PM.
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Initially, police believed Lee was headed to Selhurst Park for a football match between Charlton Athletic and Millwall, but he never arrived, and later reviews discounted this theory.
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Focus of the investigation shifted to a derelict outbuilding known as "The Shed," a local hangout for teens near St. Dunstan’s Church in Cheam. It was suspected that illegal activities, including drug use and abuse, took place there.
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St. Dunstan’s Church, next to The Shed, became a key location in the investigation. Some theories suggest Lee may have been buried in an existing grave, possibly after trying to intervene in a crime.
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In the days following his disappearance, police and family conducted extensive searches, including reviewing CCTV footage from local football matches, which yielded no significant leads.
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A re-investigation cast doubt on the original theory that Lee attended a football match and focused instead on local areas, including The Shed and nearby graveyard. It was determined Lee could have been heading home instead.
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A local grave digger and groundskeeper at St. Dunstan’s, Lambert was convicted in 2011 of sexual abuse involving minors, leading to suspicions about his connection to Lee’s case. However, no solid evidence linked him directly to the disappearance.
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Three men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of murder, conspiracy to pervert justice, and indecency with children. They were released without charge due to lack of evidence.
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Lee’s parents, Peter and Christine, have kept the case in the public eye for decades, using posters, beer mats, and media campaigns, including featuring Lee in the "Runaway Train" music video by Soul Asylum.
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Authorities believe the key to solving Lee’s disappearance lies within the local area, especially around St. Dunstan’s Church and the graveyard, but no body or concrete evidence has ever been found.
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Despite decades of investigations, public appeals, and renewed media attention, the case remains unsolved, and Lee Boxell's whereabouts are still unknown.