Murder investigation launched after disappearance of Paul Taylor

Four people have since been arrested as part of the investigation. 

Paul went missing on October 17 after leaving his home in Annan, Scotland.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Pattinson stated, "Due to new information we have received, we are now treating the disappearance of Paul Taylor as a murder investigation."

Officers have today arrested two 19-year-old men, from the Carlisle, area on suspicion of murder. They remain in police custody.

A 37-year-old man from Carlisle and a 17-year-old boy, from Appleby, have also been arrested today on suspicion of assisting an offender. They remain in police custody.

"We are still requesting the assistance of the public to provide any information to us which may assist police, so we can understand the circumstances and events of what has happened.

"If you knew or spoke to Paul, in the weeks or months leading up to his disappearance or saw him or his car as he travelled from Annan to Carlisle on Tuesday, October 17, from 9.45pm onwards, we need to hear from you," he said. 

Taylor was reportedly driving a blue Corsa, registration: PY18 DYO, which investigators believe made it to the Yewdale, Sandsfield Park, and Brough Road locales in Carlisle during the night/morning hours of October 17-18, before it was found in Langwathby the next morning.

Paul’s car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa, registration PY18 DYO (Image: Cumbria Police)

"Don’t worry if you think the information is not important or may not be significant, it could be vital to help us establish what has happened to Paul and give his family the answers they deserve," Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Pattinson said. 

Timeline: 

Paul was last seen on Tuesday 17th October after leaving his home address in Annan, Scotland sometime after 9.45pm. 

Police know Paul’s car travelled towards Carlisle shortly before midnight on October 17 via the M6 Southbound.

Police believe the car then headed in the direction of the Kingmoor South area of Carlisle at around 11.35pm and also the Carlisle West area.

The car was found abandoned in Langwathby, near Penrith (Image: Cumbria Police)

There are then potential sightings of the car in the Yewdale, Sandsfield Park and Brough Road areas after this period and officers believe he could have travelled in or around these locations. However, police are still conducting number of enquiries to narrow down the route he took.

His car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa, is then found abandoned in Langwathby at around 8:45am on Thursday 19th October.

Anyone with information or who may have seen Paul’s car in the locations above, is asked to contact us on any of the following methods:

Contact police by calling 101 or visiting www.cumbria.police.uk

CCTV / dashcam footage can be uploaded here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/0301020119S66-PO1

Information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or  www.crimestoppers-uk.org