THE 'STOCKY MAN' GENESIS
Quoting various newspapers as references, it begins with a plea for potential witnesses to come forward:
'The Mirror'
15 July, 2023
'THE family of murdered schoolgirl Jodi Jones will face the world today and beg for help in catching her killer.
Jodi's mum, Judy, is still too traumatised by the loss of her daughter to speak publicly about her death.
But two of her sisters - Jodi's aunts - have bravely agreed to make a TV appeal for witnesses".
(End of extract)
Consequently:
'The Guardian'
16 July, 2003
"Detectives hunting the killer of Jodi Jones today said that they have received reports of the first possible sightings of the teenager on the night she died.
(...)
Two independent witnesses have now contacted police about seeing a girl who fits Jodi's description on Monday June 30.
They also told officers they saw a man walking closely behind the girl along Easthouses Road, towards the entrance to a path where Jodi's body was later found.
(...)
Det Insp Martin said: "This is a significant development for the inquiry team.
"Both witnesses saw the girl walking in Easthouses Road towards the entrance to the Roman Dyke pathway at around 5pm. Both also noticed a man walking closely behind the girl."
The man appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s, and was wearing a dark-coloured sweatshirt top, possibly with a hood, and dark trousers, which were possibly jogging bottoms, Det Insp Martin said.
(End of extract)
Next day:
'The Scotsman'
17 July, 2003
"DETECTIVES hunting the killer of Jodi Jones yesterday appealed for information about a young man dressed in dark clothes who was seen following the schoolgirl on the night she was murdered.
Two witnesses have called the murder incident room in Dalkeith, Midlothian, to report seeing the youth walking behind Jodi on the approach to the path where her body was found 16 days ago.
(...)
The man police are keen to trace is described as white, stocky and 5ft 7in to 5ft 10in tall. He had short, tidy brown or ginger hair, perhaps curly or wavy on top".
Also noted elsewhere, on 17 July:
"We now have two independent witnesses who have given us good statements about seeing a young woman who is similar in description to Jodi".
(End of extract)
A further development:
'BBC Scotland News Online'
19 July, 2003
Detectives are now concentrating on tracing the man seen on the night of Jodi's murder.
He (DI Martin) said it was "imperative" that police trace this man, who was believed to be about 20 years old.
He was said to be white, between 5ft7in and 5ft 10in tall, of stocky build with short, untidy light brown hair".
(End of extract)
The last mention of an ongoing appeal, which I can locate, is the following:
'Sunday Mail'
10 August, 2003
"POLICE are planning to guard the gates of murdered teenager Jodi Jones' old school to reassure parents.
And officers may even patrol corridors inside the school building under the proposals being discussed with education authorities.
Police are still appealing for a young man seen in the Easthouses area on the night of Jodi's murder to come forward.
The youth, described as being of stocky build, with curly, untidy hair, was seen walking down Easthouses Road at around 5pm on June 30. It is thought that he was carrying a rucksack".
(End of extracts)
A time for this sighting, is noted in 'The Guardian' article:
'"Both witnesses saw the girl walking in Easthouses Road towards the entrance to the Roman Dyke pathway at around 5pm. Both also noticed a man walking closely behind the girl."
Could this be related to Andrina Bryson's reported observation of a male and female, around the same time and in that vicinity?
Speculation that 'stocky man' was Joseph Jones, has to now contend with the recently transcribed, from audio and never seen previously, court testimony from Allen Ovens, in which he confirms that Joseph Jones was present in the Jones family household, when Jodi is believed to have left, plus joined Judith Jones and Allen Ovens for dinner.
Profoundly of more obvious evidence, is that Joseph, photographed at Jodi's funeral, on 3 September - see attachment - is patently not between 5 feet seven - 5 feet ten inches tall and does not have, "short, tidy brown or ginger hair, perhaps curly or wavy on top", or similar descriptions.
So, why seemingly no further reports of police seeking 'stocky man' , after 10 August, or thereabouts...
Could the explanation be that on 14 August, Luke was taken into custody, under caution and 'stocky man' had become irrelevant?
Had though, 'stocky man' been of no significant interest, since long before and hence the apparent lack of media coverage, since around 19 July?
We surely have to factor in, as just highlighted on a previous blog, the astonishing announcement by DS Dobbie, at the beginning of August, which indicated there was effectively only one suspect and practically named him.
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