James Harmon was 30 when he went missing in east London in 1998. Police believe he was murdered. Do you know what happened to him?

Known to family and friends as Jimmy, the pub doorman was last seen at 3pm on Saturday, 24 January 1998, at his girlfriend’s home in Romford, east London.

He left a short time later after receiving a phone call on his mobile phone and told his girlfriend he had to go and see a friend in Rainham and would be back at 8pm.

His distinctive silver Mercedes 190E saloon car, registration A872 GBA, was later found abandoned in Bexley Gardens off Barley Lane near King George’s Hospital in Goodmayes.

The police investigation has been unable to establish his whereabouts or recover his body.

In 2008 a 45-year-old suspect was arrested in Dagenham before being released on bail. However nobody has ever been charged with the murder.

Detectives offered a £20,000 reward for information for information leading to the prosecution of those responsible.

On the 15th anniversary of the disappearance,  Detective Chief Inspector Neale Baldock of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “The investigation has focused on Jimmy Harmon’s lifestyle and in 1998 he was well known as a doorman at a number of east London clubs and pubs.

“There are very strong grounds for believing that he was murdered very soon after his disappearance on 24 January 1998.

“It is now fifteen years since James was last seen alive. I know he was involved in criminal activity in east London and I believe the key to this investigation is likely to come from within that criminal fraternity or their associates. In the intervening years loyalties and allegiances may have changed, and I would appeal to anyone with new information to come forward and speak to us.”

At the time of his disappearance Jimmy was described as white, 5ft 7ins and stocky with short cropped brown hair. He was last seen wearing a blue ‘Budweiser’ T shirt, tracksuit bottoms and trainers. He worked as a mechanic and also part-time as a doorman at the Robin Hood Public House in Longbridge Road, Dagenham.

Contact the incident room on 020 8345 1571 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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3 Comments

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  1. Hi Lewis, I am Jimmy’s neice.
    My family still have no update even after all of these years!
    Would you be able to give me any information

  2. I have already contacted missing persons and told some woman on the phone this person isn’t missing I worked with them in 2014/2015 at Clapham Asda superstore he moved from home shopping driver to Asda
    Security. Nones even bothered to ring me back I’m 100 percent sure is him not even 99 percent I’m 100 percent sure it’s him I don’t forget a face.

    1. I doubt he is working as a delivery driver for Asda Clapham , if you are so sure call the police and they will 100% not ignore you .