More than 24 hours after their 24-year-old son didn’t return home from a night out, a family in southern England said they received “the most horrendous news” on Sunday: he had likely been murdered.
According to Plymouth Live, the body of Drew Perham, 24, was found by authorities in the water near Millbay Marina on England’s southern coast along the English Channel. The discovery came about a day after his family reported him missing when he failed to return home after going out Friday night, Devon and Cornwall Police later said.
“We have unfortunately received the most horrendous news, our beautiful and wonderful Drew Perham has been cruelly been taken from us,” the family wrote on Facebook, per Plymouth Live. “We appreciate all the support and messages, but right now we need the time to navigate this together.”
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Devon and Cornwall Police provided an update Monday morning saying two 19-year-old men have been arrested in connection with Perham’s death. Police did not identify the suspects, but said one is from Plymouth and the other is from Exmouth—about 50 miles northeast of where Perham’s body was found.
Detective Superintendent James Dowler said in a statement that it has been an “unbelievably difficult time” for Perham’s loved ones since investigators delivered the news on Sunday.
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Dowler urged anyone with information that could help the investigation to contact police.
“We are particularly interested in people who may have been in the Millbay area between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. during the early hours of Saturday January 24,” he added.
