Thread by @Morbidful

In May 1997, schoolboy Jamie Lavis was abducted and murdered by bus driver Darren Vickers. Pretending to help, Vickers moved in with the Lavis family and joined the search, even posing for numerous press photos like the one below. This is the heartbreaking story of Jamie Lavis 🧵

Jamie Lavis was the second of five children in a large family living in Manchester, England. On May 5, 1997, Jamie went out to play but never returned home. As panic set in, his family reported him missing, and both police and neighbors joined the search.

By May 6, Jamie’s case made headlines, leading witnesses to recall seeing him at a bus stop for the 219 route. Darren Vickers, a 28-year-old bus driver and neighbor, came forward, claiming he had driven Jamie that day.

Darren Vickers lived just 3 streets away from the Lavis family and was familiar with them before Jamie’s disappearance.

Vickers soon moved in with the Lavis family, saying he wanted to help with the search, even neglecting his own family to stay close to the Lavises. He often appeared at press events, posing for photos and giving interviews on their behalf. Police grew suspicious of Vickers due to inconsistencies in his account.

In his statement to the Greater Manchester Police, Darren Vickers said that Jamie had sat quietly on the bus, watching the world around him go by. That simply wasn’t true. Passengers came forward, stating that Jamie was ‘running up and down the aisle’, handing out tickets to people. At one point, Jamie even sat with Darren as he drove, fiddling with the gear stick.

CCTV footage later showed Jamie with Vickers at Ashton bus station, riding the bus with him throughout the day. Vickers was arrested but released due to lack of evidence. Ironically, Jamie’s parents, Karen and John, defended him, unable to believe he was involved.

Months later, police received a tip that Vickers had confessed to burying Jamie’s body in Reddish Vale, just outside of Manchester. An official search in October 1997 led to the tragic discovery of Jamie’s remains.

Vickers was arrested and ultimately found guilty of Jamie’s murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 25 years.

In 2023, with a year left on his minimum sentence, Darren Vickers was referred to the parole board. Thankfully, the parole board decided that Darren was not suitable for release or transfer to an open prison.