Lyn Bryant murder: police could request DNA samples

Detectives investigating the murder of a woman in a quiet Cornish lane 20 years ago may ask several people to provide DNA samples after they were identified following a fresh appeal.

Lyn Bryant, 40, was stabbed to death on 20 October 1998 as she walked the family dog near her home in Ruan High Lanes on the Roseland peninsula. Her body was found in the gateway to a field.

One of the enduring mysteries of the crime is that four months later, Bryant’s missing tortoiseshell glasses were found on top of mud in the gateway.

Devon and Cornwall police said on Tuesday that they were pursuing nine new lines of inquiry thanks to the public response after the appeal.

In the first 24 hours of the appeal, about 50 calls and messages were received by the incident room and online reporting portal.

In 2015, detectives undertook a full forensic review of the case, examining hundreds of key exhibits with scientists. This resulted in a partial DNA profile for the suspected killer.

The senior investigating officer, Stuart Ellis, said: “The response from the public in the first 24 hours of the appeal has been extremely positive and encouraging. We now have at least nine new potential lines of inquiry which are being progressed, six of which relate to people who may well now be asked to provide a DNA sample.

“We are, however, still appealing to the public to cast their minds back to 1998 and keep the information coming into us. We have the scientific evidence and all we need now from the public is a name.”

• The incident room is on 0800 096 1233 the team can be contacted online via www.dc.police.uk/lynbryant