Renewed appeal over Janine Downes murder

Detectives today appealed for help in the hunt for the killer of murdered prostitute Janine Downes from the Shropshire lay-by where her body was discovered 20 years ago.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson urged anyone who knew what happened to the 22-year-old mother of three before her body was dumped in the lay-by on the A464 two miles outside Shifnal to break their silence.

Her body was found on February 2, 1991. She had been dragged a short distance from the lay-by and concealed in the hedge. She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

Detectives hope advances in DNA technology could lead them to her killer.

Despite several arrests since the killing of Miss Downes, who lived in Wolverhampton, and an on-going cold case review, nobody has been charged with her murder.

It is one of the force's oldest unsolved murders.

Officers from the major incident unit at Telford's Malinsgate Police Station hope today's visit to the scene would trigger someone's memory.

Police do not know whether she was killed by someone she knew, a client from the red light district in Wolverhampton where she worked as a prostitute, or a stranger passing through the area.

Mr Jamieson said a single vital piece of information may lead them to her killer.

Miss Downes was wearing only a paisley patterned blouse, a bra and blue ankle socks when her body was found.