A man who has been the subject of a murder investigation may actually be alive.

Ricardas Puisys, from Wisbech, went missing four years ago after leaving work from Nightlayer Leek Company in Chatteris.

Police made multiple appeals to try to find the 35-year-old but these revealed nothing, leading officers to believe he may have been murdered, despite the fact no body had been found.

Officers even arrested someone on suspicion of murder after finding evidence he might have been harmed, although this person was later released due to insufficient evidence.

However, now officers say new evidence suggests that Mr Puisys might still be alive after all this time.

Detective chief inspector Adam Gallop, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire major crime unit, said Mr Puisys' disappearance had been a "complete mystery".

"My team have followed up a number of inquiries," he said. "However, we still do not know what has happened to him. 

"This investigation initially began as a missing person inquiry. However, very early on it was clear to us there were no signs of life and we were concerned Ricardas had been murdered.

"Early on in the investigation we had information that Ricardas had come to some harm. As a consequence one person was arrested on suspicion of murder. However, there was insufficient evidence to charge."

Mr Puisys' body was never found and there was no evidence he was alive until a bolt from the blue turned up last summer.

Mr Puisys has been missing for four years

"A Facebook account has been set up in his name and photographs of who we believe to be Ricardas have been posted," he said.  "We have been trying to make contact with the person behind this account, but are yet to establish whether Ricardas is alive.

"Our inquiries inform us the Facebook page is being accessed and managed from somewhere in Wisbech but we have not yet been able to pinpoint an exact location."

Police are urging people, particularly those in the Lithuanian community in Wisbech, to contact the police if they have any information about Mr Puisys.

DCI Gallop added: "Whether Ricardas is alive or not, someone knows what has happened to him. Please do the right thing and come forward."

Anyone with information can submit it online at:

https://mipp.police.uk/operation/35SA020115C09-PO1  (English) or

https://mipp.police.uk/operation/35SA020115C09-PO2  (Lithuanian).

If you would prefer to speak to someone directly, please call 101 and quote Operation Laysan, or dial 01480 425883 but note this number is not monitored 24 hours a day. However, you will be able to leave a voice message and a member of the enquiry team will call you back.

Alternatively you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or go online at  www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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