Remains of pregnant woman murdered by husband more than 20 years ago discovered during garden excavation

The remains of a woman murdered by her husband more than 20 years ago in the U.K. were recently found during a garden excavation in Dorset, England, according to local police.

Debbie Griggs was 34 years old and pregnant in May 1999 when she was reported missing from her home in Deal, Kent, by her husband, Andrew Griggs.

Andrew Griggs, 60, denied responsibility for his wife’s disappearance but was found guilty of murder and received a life sentence in October 2019 after cold case detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate investigated the case.

Prosecutors argued that Andrew Griggs had “the most reason” to make his wife disappear amid allegations he was having an affair with a 15-year-old girl and for business reasons, according to the BBC. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years.

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When officers acting on a tip excavated the garden of a property in Dorset on Oct. 5, they found human remains, including teeth fragments, according to announcement from Kent police. Andrew Griggs moved to the property in July 2001 after the initial investigation into Debbie Griggs’ disappearance was over.

An odontologist confirmed that the teeth fragments found in the garden belonged to Debbie Griggs during a post-mortem examination conducted on Oct. 14.

Investigators intend to conduct more tests to determine Debbie Griggs’ cause of death and find out how her remains came to be buried on the property.

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“It is now more than 20 years since Debbie Griggs was murdered by her husband, but we have never given up hope of one day finding her remains and giving her loved ones some closure,” said Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate in a statement.

“Andrew Griggs denied being responsible for his wife’s disappearance, but this discovery is further proof that he was lying all along, causing even greater anguish for everyone who knew and loved Debbie. Whilst they continue to mourn her tragic loss to this day, I hope they can take some comfort in the knowledge that she can now be laid to rest,” Kimber continued.

“We will continue to keep Debbie’s family updated on the progress of our ongoing enquiries and provide support to them at this difficult time,” Kimber said.