Richard Dyson: Agony continues for family of missing Barnsley man two years after 'murder' arrests

Richard Dyson, from Hoyland, who was 55 at the time of his disappearance, was last seen by his daughter, Bethany Dainty, at 7pm on November 16, 2019.

She reported him missing to South Yorkshire Police on November 25, 2019 after he failed to show up for their next arranged meeting.

A police investigation was launched with Richard’s photograph and description being circulated but to no avail.

Ms Dainty said at the time: “Everyday waking up and not knowing what happened hurts, it feels like I can’t get any closure not having any answers.

“Somebody must know something, and I just don’t understand why anyone would keep anything like that to themselves and would put a family through so much pain.”

In December 2019, police released CCTV footage of Richard at a petrol station on Sheffield Road in Birdwell at 10.30pm on November 16, 2019.

They have since established that Richard was last seen on November 17, 2019 at 11pm, walking along the A6135 Sheffield Road in Hoyland.

Almost two years ago in March 2021, police arrested four men on suspicion of murder as part of the missing person investigation – three aged 43, 51 and 68 from Barnsley – and one aged 67 from Rotherham. They were all later released under investigation.

The arrests were followed by that of two Barnsley men, aged 46 and 48, in December 2021, who were also later bailed under investigation. Nobody has been charged.

At the time, his daughter, Bethany, said: “Every day I continue to share the appeal on Facebook and social media because I just worry that people are going to forget that he’s still missing. They might think he’s been found.

“I just think it’s so important to keep it out there that he is still missing, and we are still looking for answers and it’s dad at the end of the day, he doesn’t deserve to be missing for this long.”

His daughter revealed the Christmas period is particularly hard for the family as Richard’s birthday falls on Christmas Eve.

She added: “It was such a happy time of the year, and now I dread it and I can’t enjoy it any more. It breaks my heart over and over again.”

Police now believe that Richard ‘may have been killed’ and continue to ask the public to come forward with any information.

In 2021, Detective Chief Inspector, Mark Oughton, said: “We know Bethany and her family are still being tormented by Richard’s disappearance.

“Somebody knows where he is, and we hope that they might now come forward to bring this ordeal to an end for Bethany and everyone who knows and loves Richard.”

South Yorkshire Police urges anyone with information about the disappearance to call 101 and quote incident number 459 of November 25, 2019. Crimestoppers can also be contacted, anonymously, on 0800 555111, if anyone is able to help with police enquiries.