Five arrested on suspicion of murdering man who vanished without trace one month ago
Five men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who vanished from his home in Somerset exactly one month ago.
Michael Wheeler, from Yeovil, has not been seen since August 24 and his car was discovered abandoned last week.
The 37-year-old has not been home or been in touch with family or friends, and has missed a number of regular appointments.
Avon and Somerset Police carried out multiple searches in recent days at Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon, and at addresses in Yeovil and Crewkerne.
There is no trace of Mr Wheeler and his disappearance is now being treated as a murder inquiry.
Five men, aged between late-teens and late-30s, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in police custody.
A sixth man who was arrested last week remains on police bail.
Detective chief inspector Lorett Spierenburg who is heading the investigation said: this is an ‘incredibly difficult time’ for Mr Wheeler’s family, who are ‘incredibly worried’ and ‘desperate; to know what has happened to him.
‘We have been keeping an open mind over what has happened to Mr Wheeler, who has now not been seen for a month, but we can confirm this is being treated as a murder inquiry,’ she said.
‘Arrests were made last week to enable us to question several individuals while under caution to understand if they knew anything that could help us locate Michael.
‘We will always be evidence-led in our investigation and having obtained more information during the course of our enquiries, four of those individuals have been re-arrested on suspicion of murder over the past 48 hours.
‘A fifth man, who was not arrested last week, has also been taken into custody.’
DCI Spierenburg appealed for anyone with information about Mr Wheeler’s whereabouts since he was last seen in the Yeovil area to get in touch with the police.
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