Roy Bigg’s body was found in the freezer of a disused pub – police now have a theory about how he died

Detectives investigating the case of a man whose body was found in a disused pub freezer think he may have been killed by accident after discovering a fresh clue about how he died.

Mystery has surrounded the death of pensioner Roy Bigg after his body was found in a freezer, wrapped in tarpaulin, in October 2021 in the basement of a derelict Simpson’s wine bar in Newham, London. Mr Bigg, who could only be identified through dental records, had been missing since February 2012.

Police leading the investigation believe that he likely died around the time that he was reported missing, making him around 70-years-old, although pathology tests have been unable to establish cause of death or how long he had been in the freezer for.

But The Independent can now reveal rib injuries discovered on his body have led investigators to ask whether he was killed by accident by somebody he knew, potentially after he was hit with a blunt object or fell down some stairs.

“I know Roy didn’t put himself in the freezer. He was found hidden, he was wrapped in tarpaulin, there were clear attempts to hide him,” said detective chief inspector Kelly Allen, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who is leading the case.

“Quite what led them to do that is still unclear. Has he died and then been hidden because someone wants to hide his death for some reason? Has there been a fight or an assault and he’s died?”

Police say Mr Bigg was working and living at the Simpson’s wine bar before it was closed after a fire in 2011. “From knowing his life, I believe it would have been someone connected to him rather than a stranger. He wasn’t living in the pub at the time, but he has ended up back in the pub,” DCI Allen said.

The pub remained unused for a decade, with squatters coming and going, until the place was fully cleared in 2021 and his body was found.

Squatters who lived in the pub told police they were unaware that they could have been living alongside Mr Bigg’s body, which was found in the basement. DCI Allen said detectives were keen to speak to anyone who knew Mr Bigg in 2011 or knew who he was associating with.

“We’ve managed to find out more about Roy’s family and his life, but unfortunately the appeals so far haven’t led so far to any information about how Roy came to be killed or died and how he came to be in the freezer,” she said.

“He hadn’t been missing for very long when he was reported missing in 2012. It was out of character for him to be missing and not contactable. Early concerns were raised. He had an adult social worker at the time, who had some contact with him.”

She said that there have been no confirmed or provable sightings of Mr Bigg after he was reported missing and so they believe he was placed in the freezer around that time.

The detectives said that police had been able to establish that Mr Bigg had rib injuries, but they couldn’t yet determine that they were the cause of death. “This strengthens our belief that he had been assaulted, in the days before he went missing or that’s why he went missing,” DCI Allen said.

“The injuries could be because he has fallen down the stairs or was pushed down the stairs. Or they could be because someone has delivered a blunt force impact to his ribs.”

Mr Bigg had been working as a security guard at the wine bar and had been living there for a period of time prior to the fire, she added.

Detectives don’t think there was any organised crime involvement and believe that by the time Mr Bigg’s body was put in the freezer the pub was almost abandoned.

DCI Allen said: “Once the fire happens, he can’t live there any more, so it’s who Roy was associating with after he had to leave the pub that perhaps knew more about how he came to be in the freezer. We want to understand who he was with at that time. They may have had reason to harm him, or had reason to hide him in the freezer once he has died.”

She said Mr Bigg was known locally and had been drinking in the local pubs. He had been in hospital near the end of 2011 and had been discharged before he was reported missing.

DCI Allen said police don’t think Mr Bigg had a settled address at that time.

Police arrested a man in his 40s in connection with the investigation in October 2023, but he was later released. A second man in his 50s has also been interviewed under caution but no further action has been taken.

Scotland Yard is offering the public a reward of up to £20,000 for intelligence leading to the arrest, charge and prosecution of those responsible for the murder.

Anyone who knew Roy Bigg should call the Incident Room on 020 8345 1570, call 101 or post on ‘X’ @MetCC quoting reference CAD 4332/15Oct21.

To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

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