Unsolved Leeds murder: Eight years of heartache for Adam Chadwick's family

THE PASSAGE of time has done nothing to ease the grief that Martin Chadwick feels over the murder of his son.
Adam Chadwick and his daughter, Ruby, aged three.Adam Chadwick and his daughter, Ruby, aged three.
Adam Chadwick and his daughter, Ruby, aged three.

And the anniversary of Adam’s death is a stark reminder of just how long his killers have gone unidentified.

Martin, 55, said: “Whenever it comes to Adam’s anniversary, I get a funny feeling. You forget it’s that time of year but you get a knot in your stomach and then you realise.

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“It would be nice to just remember Adam but when you do, you think his killers are still out there. Until we catch these people, we’ll never be able to get closure.”

Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.
Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.

Adam, 20, was visiting his sister at Clifton Mount in Harehills on June 24, 2008. A woman and three men came to the door at 10.40pm and, following a disturbance, he was shot.

The attack happened the day after Adam’s daughter, Ruby, had turned three. He died two days later.

It is a case that has frustrated detectives for eight years now, but Martin has not given up hope of seeing the people responsible brought to justice.

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“We just want to get it out there and hope someone might come forward with a bit of information,” he said.

An e-fit image of the woman who was knocking on doors shortly before Adam was shot.An e-fit image of the woman who was knocking on doors shortly before Adam was shot.
An e-fit image of the woman who was knocking on doors shortly before Adam was shot.

West Yorkshire Police previously said Adam, a carpet fitter who lived in Seacroft, could have been mistaken for another man.

They released CCTV footage of a Ford Focus C-Max, believed to have been used by the woman and three men, being stolen from Oatland Heights in Little London on June 11. The car was abandoned near Reginald Street, Chapeltown.

They also shared footage thought to show a woman who knocked on the door of the house shortly before the shooting. She had also knocked on other doors nearby and asked for ‘Michelle’.

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She is described as white, in her late 20s, 5ft 5in with dark brown hair and olive skin.

A still taken from the CCTV footage shared on the fourth anniversary.A still taken from the CCTV footage shared on the fourth anniversary.
A still taken from the CCTV footage shared on the fourth anniversary.

And last summer a businessman, who wished to remain anonymous, donated £7,000 as a reward for information that leads to a prosecution. This is in addition to £5,000 being offered by charity Crimestoppers.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Dunkerley, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We remain fully committed to finding the people responsible and getting justice for Adam’s family.

“Although eight years have passed we still believe there are people out there who know who was involved in his murder. We would urge them to search their consciences and think about the pain and loss Adam’s family are still going through.

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“It may be that loyalties have changed with the passage of time and that someone is now in a better position to tell us what they know.”

Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.
Jackie and Martin Chadwick with their granddaughter, Ruby, at the time of the fifth anniversary appeal.

In the meantime, the Chadwick family continues to remember Adam through the The Adam Chadwick Fund for Sport.

“We’ve got the memorial football tournament that’s now in its fifth or sixth year,” said Martin. “That’s what we do to remember him. It’s a good way for us to do that.”

This year’s tournament for primary schools in West Leeds took place on June 23.

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Applications to the fund can be made by getting in touch via its Facebook page.

Anyone with information that could help police is asked to contact the West Yorkshire Police homicide and major enquiry team by calling 101.

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