A mother who believes her son was murdered in Spain has enlisted two former British detectives to investigate his death. Sandra Adams, 56, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has hired Sam Hutchinson and Emma Coles of Verity Henton Private Investigations to look into the death of her son, Brett Dryden, 35.
Brett, a former Nissan worker, was found dead in his home in Mojacar, Costa de Almeria, in July last year. Spanish authorities initially treated the death as a robbery, suggesting he was targeted while preparing to buy and sell marijuana. However, Sandra disputes the official findings and is pushing for a Spanish judge to reopen the case.
The private investigators, both former Essex Police anti-corruption officers, launched their agency in April 2020. Their involvement comes after a Home Office pathologist, Dr Cooper, conducted a post-mortem on Brett's remains and issued a report contradicting the Spanish pathologist's conclusions. The Spanish autopsy ruled the death was due to a pulmonary haemorrhage, with cocaine and cannabis found in his system. But Dr Cooper said the lung changes were non-specific and 'in no way suggest an adverse drug reaction'. He noted external injuries consistent with an assault.
Sandra has obtained a Spanish police report containing CCTV footage of two men, wearing caps and face coverings, fleeing Brett's house with two bags—one believed to contain over £7,000 in cash and the other marijuana. Despite this, the judge provisionally closed the case in September, citing insufficient evidence of murder or grounds for prosecution.
Sandra has been campaigning for justice, leading a memorial walk in April with over 20 loved ones. Verity Henton Private Investigations, which has offices in London's Mayfair and Essex, was contacted for comment but did not respond.
