An investigation by Met homicide detectives has resulted in two people being convicted of murdering a man whose body has never been found.
Frank McKeever was last seen on 28 August 2021 when he visited his step-daughter Surie Suksiri and her boyfriend Juned Sheikh at Suksiri’s flat in Highbury.
The 63-year-old was reported missing on 9 September 2021 and an investigation was launched.
Following his disappearance, detectives carried out extensive enquiries to establish what had happened to Frank.
The breakthrough came when Suksiri told a witness that she and Sheikh had murdered Frank and disposed of his body.
Detectives carried out extensive enquiries to find Frank.
They analysed his phone and bank account data which revealed there had been no activity since the night he was last seen on 28 August 2021.
There had also been no contact with his family or friends which resulted in detectives coming to the conclusion that Frank was no longer alive.
CCTV from the night that Frank was last seen showed him near to Suksiri and Sheikh’s flat in Highbury.
As the last people to see Frank before his disappearance, the pair were interviewed by police.
Suksiri was first arrested on 28 September 2021 and Sheikh was first arrested on 1 October 2021.
They had previously been interviewed as witnesses during the missing person’s investigation.
They were released under investigation while detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command continued painstaking work to piece together what had happened to Frank.
On 17 October 2022, Suksiri told a witness that she had been involved in Frank’s murder.
She told the witness that Frank had abused her when she was a child. There were no formal allegations against Frank and there was no evidence found during the course of the investigation to suggest this was true.
Suksiri went on to describe how she and Sheikh had ‘battered the f*ck’ out of Frank before buying a car and disposing of his body ‘eighty miles’ outside of London.
Other information Suksiri had shared with the witness led detectives to believe Frank had suffered a prolonged and cruel attack that had happened when he visited Suksiri and Sheikh at their flat on 28 August 2021.
Officers from the investigation team were able to corroborate the information that Suksuri had provided to the witness.
Through analysing phone data, they found in the days after Frank was last seen the couple had searched online for a cheap car to buy.
Further enquiries revealed Suksiri had taken £200 worth of Frank’s jewellery to a pawnbrokers on 2 September 2021. It is believed they used this money to buy the car.
The pair were re-arrested on 20 October 2022 and they were charged with Frank’s murder.
Over the past two years officers have made extensive efforts to find Frank’s body however he hasn’t been found.
Detectives have not been able to recover any evidence that provided an indication of where the pair had taken Frank after his death.
After Frank’s disappearance officers searched the West Reservoir near to Finsbury Park and the New River Path.
Following advice from experts at the National Crime Agency, further search activity was carried out near to the Welford Truck Stop in Northampton and Lutterworth in Leicestershire in June 2023, however there was no sign of Frank’s body.
Detective Inspector Laura Nelson, who led the investigation, said: “Today’s result was the culmination of over two years of painstaking detective work in which we did everything we possibly could to piece together Frank McKeever’s last movements and establish the motive for his murder.
“Working with colleagues from across the Met we were able to build a compelling case against Surie Suksuri and Juned Sheikh.
“Whilst today’s verdict has delivered justice for Frank McKeever, the result is bittersweet for his family. They have not been able to bury their much-missed brother and the main question of where he is remains unanswered.
“My team will continue to act on any information which may lead to the location of Frank and the charity Crimestoppers continues to offer a reward for information leading to his whereabouts.”
Anyone with information that could assist officers in finding Frank’s body are asked to contact the investigation team by calling 020 8358 0300.
Conviction details
Surie Suksiri, 31 (06.11.91), formerly of The Chestnuts, Highbury, and Juned Sheikh, 48 (09.03.75), of Haywood Street, Southwark were convicted of murder and preventing a lawful burial at The Old Bailey on Tuesday, 7 November.
They will be sentenced at the same court on Monday, 20 November.