Stuart Campbell, the killer uncle of 15-year-old Danielle Jones, has launched a fresh bid for parole, over 20 years after her disappearance. Convicted of her murder in 2002, Campbell, now 66, has consistently refused to reveal the location of Danielle's body, leaving her family without closure.
Danielle vanished on June 18, 2001, while walking to a bus stop near her East Tilbury, Essex home. Despite exhaustive searches, her remains were never found. The Parole Board confirmed it is reviewing Campbell's application, which follows his 2022 rejection due to the high risk he still posed, as reported by The Mirror.
Linda Jones, Danielle's mother, expressed her heartbreak and resolve:
"He needs to hear what he’s done to this family. Until he tells us what happened, he shouldn’t be released."
Adding to the calls for justice, Campbell's twin brother, Alix Sharkey, has spoken openly about his anger. In his 2022 book, My Brother the Killer, Sharkey condemned Campbell's silence:
"You can’t start over while holding this secret. Danielle’s parents deserve the truth, a place to grieve. My brother must stop being a monster and act like a human being. Even murderers can say, 'I’m sorry.'"
Despite appeals from family and public outrage, Campbell has remained unrepentant. His refusal to engage with letters or confront his crime has deepened frustrations. Sharkey believes shame keeps Campbell silent:
"A response means confrontation, and he can’t handle that."
While Danielle's body has never been recovered, police discovered a pair of white stockings with the schoolgirl's DNA on them in Campbell's home, as well as a lip gloss used by her, leading to his arrest. He was subsequently found guilty.
Campbell was found to have lured her into his blue transit van to abduct her. In December 2002 Campbell was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and ten years for abduction, with the two to run concurrently.
The High Court ruled that Campbell should not be considered for parole until he had served a minimum of 20 years.
For now, Danielle’s family and the public await the Parole Board’s decision, united in their demand: no release without the truth.
