Police launch CCTV appeal as hunt for canal killer continues one year on
Detectives have released CCTV of a man they want to speak to as they continue to search for answers one year on from a brutal West Midlands killing.
Darren Round's badly beaten body was pulled from a Birmingham canal on February 15 last year hours after he had said goodbye to his mother and headed into the city centre.
Crimestoppers have already put up a £10,000 reward in relation to the murder and police are now asking for help identifying a man who they believe could help piece together what happened.
CCTV footage of the man, who police believe may have been the last man to see Mr Round alive, was shared on Crimewatch on Tuesday.
The man is described as 5ft 6ins tall and was carrying a man-bag across his body, wearing distinctive trainers with small reflective panels and what is likely to be a light-coloured tracksuit.
Mr Round, 48, was last seen walking along the canal near Wharf Road Bridge, in the direction of Shannon Tunnel, at about 12.40am on the morning his body was found.
He’d left the home he shared with his mother Sheila in Kings Norton at 7.30pm the night before, wearing a blue coat and a rucksack.
Detectives have pieced together some of Mr Round's movements and know he withdrew money from a cash machine at the Post Office at Kings Norton Green and bought alcohol from an off licence before making the near five-mile walk into the city centre along the canal towpaths.
However what happened later remains a mystery.
Superintendent Scott Griffiths, who is leading the investigation, said: "None of Darren’s possessions were taken and we can find no motive for anyone to have subjected him to such a brutal beating but we remain determined to establish exactly what happened.
"We have conducted extensive work on CCTV and there’s a man we’d like to speak to who we’ve so far been unable to identify as he may have information critical to our investigation.
"We really want to know what happened to Darren in the moments leading up to his death - we want to be able to give Darren’s mum and his family and friends the answers they want and need."
A post mortem examination revealed Mr round had suffered significant facial injuries, consistent with an assault before he entered the water. His body was pulled from the canal near Masshouse Lane, Kings Norton, at 8.40am.
His mother Sheila, said: "He said ’Ta’ra mum, I’ll see you later’. And that was it.
"There’s nothing worse than losing your only child. I don’t want to die not knowing what that happened that night.
"That’s all I’m praying for really - justice for Darren."
Police are keen to hear from anyone who recognises the man or who was in the Wharf Road area between midnight and 2am and has not spoken to officers.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police online, by calling call 101 or calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
