Found Deceased UK - Liam Smith, 16, Aberdeen, Scotland, 17 Nov 2018

[MrsWatson]

Good to see some forward progress.

 

[zencompass]

Regarding reporter Andy Gibson previously mentioned, I tweeted him asking if there were any updates on Liam, just got this reply:

Andy Gibson‏ @AndyGibsonTV

Andy Gibson Retweeted Help the Missing

@NorthEPolice are currently performing various strategic searches in the Aberdeenshire area with the support of @PolScotDogs & @PolScotAir. Also multiple lines of enquiry, locally, are being carried out. #LiamSmith #FindLiamSmith

Andy Gibson on Twitter

Dear HayLouise,

Thank you so much for obtaining and sharing this information! You are always greatly appreciated!

I'm so glad to hear that the investigation is focusing on the Aberdeenshire area. Since no clues have turned up around Crathes, it makes sense for the investigation to start at the beginning and branch out from there.

I often think of Liam as I've followed this "mystery" from the start, as most of us have.

Hoping and praying that Liam is somewhere safe. I know we all feel this way.

 

[Watergate]

@zencompass The 'mystery' ?
Is it not a mystery?
Young man completely vanishes without a trace, family can't provide detail if he decided to leave phone or had no choice.
That's only some of this mystery.
If they're going back to the beginning for clues perhaps the nepd will be able to establish which route Liam took to Union Square on the 17th as they couldn't before the p&j reconstruction early dec. Did he come from Queens road areas at all?
If not, might he had access to communication that morning/evening before? Why is information so limited and controlled? Why are people blocked and comments deleted on the official Missing Liam Smith page? For questions surrounding passport, biological father, access to money, birthday etc.
Why was the official Twitter account as much in the dark and pointing this out early Feb? Only to block people then when the oddity is highlighted. There's hundreds of people blaming media and police for lack of updates yet Liam's family aren't forthcoming except to censor and accuse people of trolling? If Liam was not himself as stated mid February, why did that information come so late? When the police were quite clear this was out of character for liam. Why the silence though he's not been recovered. What information has prompted the police to go local and not national? Those are all mysteries to me. People want Liam safe, can't see how this closed up behaviour is going to establish that. It's as though we're to talk about it but not talk about it at the same time. Totally bizarre.

https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/...schoolboy-in-dailys-video-information-appeal/

 

[Watergate]

... also, if you're aware someone is 'not themselves,' leaving their phone behind is significant. Taking it away is significant but in a different way.

 

[silverjug]

@zencompass The 'mystery' ?
Is it not a mystery?
Young man completely vanishes without a trace, family can't provide detail if he decided to leave phone or had no choice.
That's only some of this mystery.
If they're going back to the beginning for clues perhaps the nepd will be able to establish which route Liam took to Union Square on the 17th as they couldn't before the p&j reconstruction early dec. Did he come from Queens road areas at all?
If not, might he had access to communication that morning/evening before? Why is information so limited and controlled? Why are people blocked and comments deleted on the official Missing Liam Smith page? For questions surrounding passport, biological father, access to money, birthday etc.
Why was the official Twitter account as much in the dark and pointing this out early Feb? Only to block people then when the oddity is highlighted. There's hundreds of people blaming media and police for lack of updates yet Liam's family aren't forthcoming except to censor and accuse people of trolling? If Liam was not himself as stated mid February, why did that information come so late? When the police were quite clear this was out of character for liam. Why the silence though he's not been recovered. What information has prompted the police to go local and not national? Those are all mysteries to me. People want Liam safe, can't see how this closed up behaviour is going to establish that. It's as though we're to talk about it but not talk about it at the same time. Totally bizarre.

https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/...schoolboy-in-dailys-video-information-appeal/

Excellent post.

 

[MrsWatson]

Well done, @Watergate, in so thoughtfully articulating what I think many of us are feeling.

I have zero sense of this young man as a person, and can offer nothing because I so very little about him or the circumstances leading up to his leaving.

 

[zencompass]

Would one of you wonderful people please direct me to an article stating the parents gave Liam's phone to the police? I just can't find that anywhere.

I would think that the police would take the phone to assist in the investigation but I just haven't come across this.

This thread has always felt so heartwarming to read all of the posts from such deeply compassionate people as yourselves.

 

[Watergate]

Dear Watergate,

I absolutely agree with you. When I put quotes around the word mystery, I did so because to someone it is not a "mystery" because they know exactly what happened.

My apologies for not clarifying what I meant.

Why we know so little about Liam before he left is a mystery.

I have never encountered a case before where the family has given such a complete lack of information.

That there was never a press conference with a single member of Liam's family was a mystery to me. None of this has ever made sense to me and perhaps that's why my sympathy for this lad grew even more over time.

My feeling from the start is that Liam did not get on a bus to go anywhere.

When I first saw the photo of Liam, I was struck not only by his height, his gait but also he is quite handsome (I say this as a Mom and just as an observance).

I find it very odd that more than one person wouldn't have noticed him on a bus.

My hope is that the police really sink their teeth into this case and start at the very beginning, which could be a different "beginning" from what the story seems to be.

What occurred after Liam walked through those doors to the bus station?

We know that he purchased a ticket.

There are more exits from the Union Square than just the doors that Liam walked through.

I was looking at some sites describing different exits. There is a car park there as well. Exits for the cars.

My feeling is that he left the Union Square and did not get on a bus. He may have left with someone in their car. Someone may have been waiting for him. All, just my opinion.

I could be wrong but I've always felt this way. Liam may have intended to get on that bus, with his chocolates and his bus ticket. But what if someone prevented him from doing this?

Just because Liam did not exit the same doors he entered does not mean he got on a bus.

Here's one site about getting around Union Square (including taking stairs to the car park):

The Concourse: Aberdeen station - Describe Online

Just my own opinions and thoughts.

I'm sorry. I get very het up with this story. I'm outraged a young man can go missing and the public's desire to help can be so badly managed. I really think the police and media have acted the best they could given the information they were. P&j went so far as to create a reconstruction which possibly may be misleading. I think as this case progressed strategies normal for these kind of crisis became blaring in their absence therefore fueling speculation and rumour. The response to that was aggression, censorship and vilification which of itself is sad but as a response in a missing persons case actually reckless. I don't know what's going on. I don't claim too. But I know this is not right by any stretch of the imagination.

In response to Liam boarding the 202 he is actually captured on cctv and in the link below insp Martin Mackay states. Therefore I reckon we can lean on that. The possibilities Crathes was a rendezvous point or ( depending on set off point previous to Union Square) Liam's effort to head west out of Aberdeen with one bus stop a mile from his home. Was he tired? Did he fall asleep and miss his stop? I'm speculating with limited facts because facts are thin on the ground.
Also if you listen to the end of this press release a journalist ask some important questions in relation to Liam's reasons for choosing to go and nspector Mackay's answer is definite, no hint of Liam being at risk or overwhelmed.

Also one commenter, a young girl says Liam has a second phone. You'll see as they roll pass

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2297841767205866

 

[Watergate]

Still no official word from @PoliceScotland / @NorthEPolice.

If anyone has any substantial leads; email andy@andygibsontv.com and I will investigate their authenticity then provide an accurate report from my findings.

#LiamSmith #FindLiamSmith

THE FIND LIAM SMITH CAMPAIGN | ABERDEEN on Twitter

NEPD have today responded to andy@andygibsontv.com tweet. It would appear they are preferring people contact them in relation to updates and verification. This contrasts to the tweet from the family account.

Check out @NorthEPolice’s Tweet: NorthEastPolice on Twitter

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

This might seem like a stupid question but was cctv checked for the return routes the next few days?

 

[Watergate]

I think it's an incredibly important question. One I have no answer too but considering police are known to have searched Liam's friends houses on a few occasions we must assume they have. I don't think I'm allowed to link to the thread where this is mentioned by a family friend on Facebook nor can I screenshot (learning rules as I go). It's enough possibly to know the police have not widened their investigation outside Aberdeenshire. It would seem amiss to not have done so but again it's unverifiable.

 

[zencompass]

(respectfully snipped by zencompass to highlight the following fact in this case.) In response to Liam boarding the 202 he is actually captured on cctv and in the link below Insp Martin Mackay states. Therefore I reckon we can lean on that. The possibilities Crathes was a rendezvous point or ( depending on set off point previous to Union Square) Liam's effort to head west out of Aberdeen with one bus stop a mile from his home. Was he tired? Did he fall asleep and miss his stop? I'm speculating with limited facts because facts are thin on the ground.
Also if you listen to the end of this press release a journalist ask some important questions in relation to Liam's reasons for choosing to go and nspector Mackay's answer is definite, no hint of Liam being at risk or overwhelmed.

Also one commenter, a young girl says Liam has a second phone. You'll see as they roll pass

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2297841767205866

Dear Watergate,

Thank you for the factual detail from the police in your post: "In response to Liam boarding the 202 he is actually captured on cctv and in the link below Insp Martin Mackay states. "

I genuinely appreciate your post because what little information we have on this case needs to be correct.

Instead of looking back at the factual information - I was "stuck" on the fact that there wasn't cctv on the bus and I mistakenly thought this meant getting on the bus as well. My apologies.

Last November I sent tweets to various journalists, inquiring as to when the family press conference was held - because I thought I had missed it.

They all replied back stating that family members had not been yet been part of a press conference . In their reply tweets, they asked if I knew anything and I explained to them that I live in a different country but along with thousands of other people, I was greatly concerned about this young lad.

I also appreciate this from your post, Watergate: "Also if you listen to the end of this press release a journalist asks some important questions in relation to Liam's reasons for choosing to go and Inspector Mackay's answer is definite, no hint of Liam being at risk or overwhelmed."

I compared the above police response ("no hint of Liam being at risk or overwhelmed" with this sentence from family's statement (February 2019):

"We believe that Liam wasn't feeling himself at the time he went missing and we would encourage any teenager who is feeling overwhelmed to speak to someone about their feelings."

 

[Watergate]

No reason to do that is there? You ask the question which is valid. It's a question I've asked a lot until I hesrd this release. I think it's normal for police to outline events and a timeframe but theres none available for this case for some reason.

Yes, it appears more than once that what the family say and what the police say are at odds. The sane has just happened with the Twitter account. Many of the professions by the family that they are taking police advice in relation to media strategy hardly extends to deleting comments and blocking people but alas that is the reality. If this is the case I've never come across it beforehand.

 

[HayLouise]

Just posting the tweets:

For verified, accurate and up to date information on the Liam Smith missing person case please refer to the North East Division Facebook page. Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 with details.

NorthEastPolice on Twitter

you haven't missed any updates. As the update on 18th February advises, our investigation remains open and any new information will be assessed.

NorthEastPolice on Twitter

 

[Buttonspoons]

edited out of respect.

 

[stephaniejanes]

James Matthews of Sky News has reported "a body" has been found in the woods south of Banchory. Not believed to be suspicious circumstances and family have been notified.

James Matthews on Twitter

 

[helenff]

Body found in Banchory and Liam’s parents have been notified. Not identified yet. In kids bedroom getting them to sleep right now so struggling to find link to paste but is in media.

ETA - never mind was too slow, see above!

 

[stephaniejanes]

Body found in Banchory and Liam’s parents have been notified. Not identified yet. In kids bedroom getting them to sleep right now so struggling to find link to paste but is in media.

ETA - never mind was too slow, see above!

It's been a sad week - with both Liam and Libby Squire being found and no longer being with us. North East Police Division FB have posted a statement. I'll try to link it as it's more detailed.

 

[Fluffet]

Body found in search for missing teenager Liam Smith

 

[stephaniejanes]

North East Police Division statement on their official Facebook page. He was found around a 2h walk away from Crathes at Craig of Affrusk woods south of Banchory:

North East Police Division