Renewed appeal into Kyle Vaughan’s murder on what would have been his 35th birthday

A reward to help solve the murder of missing Newbridge man Kyle Vaughan has been doubled to £20,000.

Gwent Police has renewed its appeal to find out what happened to Kyle, who has been missing for more than a decade.

The renewed appeal coincides with what would have been Kyle’s 35th birthday.

Kyle, who was 24-years-old when he went missing, has not been seen since December 30, 2012 when he was spotted driving on the A467. His damaged silver Peugeot 306 was later found on the same road at around 11.45pm between Risca and Crosskeys.

Police believe Kyle’s car was in a crash and that he had managed to walk away from it. Despite no body ever being found, police believe Kyle was murdered.

At the time Kyle went missing, it is believed he was wearing a dark-coloured beanie hat, a dark coloured T-shirt, three-quarter length denim shorts, white trainers and a gold chain.

A missing person enquiry was initially launched by police – but later became a murder investigation.

In October 2016, Kyle, who attended Cwmcarn High School, was officially presumed dead by the High Court.

In 2018, Kyle’s mother, Mary, passed away after a terminal illness, not knowing what happened to her son.

While eight people have been arrested in connection with the disappearance over the years, no one has been charged.

The £20,000 reward will be paid by independent charity Crimestoppers if it receives information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Kyle’s death.

The charity originally offered a £10,000 reward in September 2021.

Investigation remains active

Detective Chief Superintendent Nicky Brain said: “Our investigation into what happened to Kyle remains very much active and we remain in regular contact with his family.

“Officers from our major incident team continue to investigate any information that we receive from members of the public.

“As part of this extensive investigation, we have to date conducted searches in 40 areas, interviewed in excess of 200 people, received more than 180 intelligence logs and taken nearly 900 witness statements.

“Unfortunately though, we still don’t have the answers we need and Kyle’s family, who’ve never given up hope of finding out what happened to him, so desperately want.

“We’re still keen to receive any information that may assist our enquiries, however minor you may feel it is.”

Gwent Police is hosting a website where anyone can submit any relevant information they may have about Kyle’s disappearance.

The website will be open for one month from August 3, with any information submitted sent to the police’s investigative team.

Hayley Fry, Crimestoppers Wales national manager, said: “It is understandably very difficult for Kyle’s family, who are still desperate for answers and to know what really happened.

“We are hoping our renewed appeal and increased reward will remind the public about this case and the important role they can play in seeking justice for Kyle’s family and friends.

“We believe that somebody knows what happened to Kyle.

 “If you want to do the right thing – but feel unable to speak directly to the police – please remember that Crimestoppers charity can help.

“We are independent from the police. We have always kept our promise of anonymity, and millions of people have trusted us with their crime information.

“We won’t judge. We don’t ask your name. We just listen to what you know. When you hang up the phone or click send, you’re done. We promise that you will remain completely anonymous.”

Anyone with information can also contact Gwent Police on 101 or through direct message on Facebook or Twitter, quoting log reference 397 30/12/12.

Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously through its website or by calling 0800 555 111.