A thirty-eight-year investigation into the disappearance of a young Royal Navy rating, believed murdered by a serial killer known as the 'Frankenstein Killer', has been officially paused. The search for the body of Simon Parkes, who vanished from Gibraltar in December 1986, has concluded its latest phase without success, with the case being placed on file.
The Night Simon Parkes Vanished
Simon Parkes, an 18-year-old radio operator from Bristol, was last seen alive on 12 December 1986. He had been drinking at the Horseshoe Pub on Main Street in Gibraltar after the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, on which he served, docked in the British Overseas Territory. Unlike his shipmates, he never returned to the vessel. When the ship arrived in Portsmouth days later, his absence was noted, sparking an immediate manhunt.
The prime suspect in his disappearance and suspected murder is Allan Grimson, a fellow crew member. Grimson, later dubbed the 'Frankenstein Killer' due to his imposing 6ft 2in frame and large forehead, was serving as a petty officer and stoker on the same carrier. He is currently serving a life sentence for the murders of two other young men in 1997 and 1998.
Decades of Digging and a Chilling Pattern
Police have long suspected a grim connection between Simon's disappearance and Grimson's later crimes. Notably, Simon vanished on 12 December 1986, while Grimson's confirmed murders occurred on 12 December 1997 and 12 December 1998. Detectives consider this repeated date to be an unlikely coincidence.
In 2019, following new intelligence, specialist teams were deployed to Gibraltar. Further excavation work was carried out in January 2024 and August 2023 at the Town Range Car Park, near the pub, and the Trafalgar Cemetery. Despite these extensive efforts, no trace of Simon has been found.
Detective Superintendent Adam Edwards stated: "Officers have worked tirelessly to investigate the disappearance of Simon Parkes and to find answers for his devastated family... The full circumstances surrounding Simon's disappearance still remain unknown." He confirmed the investigation is now being drawn to a close unless fresh information emerges.
A Family's Unending Hope and a Killer's Dark Past
Simon's mother, Margaret Parkes, 78, spoke during the January 2024 excavation, stating she had never given up hope. "You always hold out hope, you have to," she said. Simon's final letter home, shared last year, painted a poignant picture of a young man thrilled by his naval adventures, eagerly anticipating his return to Portsmouth.
Allan Grimson was convicted in 2001 for the brutal murders of 18-year-old naval rating Nicholas Wright and 20-year-old former sailor Sion Jenkins. He lured them to his flat, where he bludgeoned them with a baseball bat. During police interviews, Grimson described killing as "better than sex" and admitted targeting handsome young recruits. He has always denied involvement in Simon Parkes's disappearance, though detectives found circumstantial evidence linking him to the case.
Police continue to appeal for information. Detective Superintendent Edwards urged: "I know it was a long time ago, but if there is anything you remember being strange or out of place please get in touch." The plea is directed at anyone who served on HMS Illustrious in 1986 or was in Gibraltar on that fateful December night.
