Mysterious Disappearances: Richey Edwards

Richey Edwards was a Welsh musician, and a member of the famous rock band the Manic Street Preachers.

Edwards secured a cult following throughout his career. He was heavily praised for his song-writing abilities, and his contributions to the overall direction of the band, which went on to be highly-successful.

Yet Edwards would disappear in February 1995, and was never seen again. He was subsequently legally declared dead in 2008. His disappearance has never been solved.

This article will review this shocking disappearance, which caused heartache for fans. At the end of the article, there is also a reader’s poll, which we would encourage you to vote on which theory you think is most accurate.

Background

Richey Edwards initially started out as a driver for the Manic Street Preachers. But, after his musical prowess was discovered, he eventually became their fourth member.

Edwards was known for his imaginative song-writing. He also became known for an incident in 1991 which involved Edwards carving “4 Real” into his arm with a razor blade. He later required eighteen stiches.

Edwards suffered from depression. He was known to self-harm, and spent time at the Priory Clinic in Roehampton, London. Edwards left the Priory Clinic for the final time in November of 1994, before going on tour with the band for what would turn out to be the final time.

Richey Edwards is highly-revered in the mental health community. He was one of the first high-profile individuals to speak openly and candidly about depression. Many fans were able to relate to Edwards. Many have said he helped them in their personal recovery.

The Manic Street Preachers toured for the remainder of 1994, and enjoyed success. The band were making strong progress, and were due to head out to the United States in February 1995.

The Disappearance

On February 1st 1995, Edwards, who was 27 at the time, had been due to appear at an airport along with some of the band. Yet Edwards didn’t appear, and the rest of the band flew out to the US.

No one seemed to know where Edwards was. His disappearance surprised many, although most believed he would instead join the next day. Edwards didn’t appear, and an investigation was then launched.

The Investigation

Investigators started to piece together Edwards’ movements in the time leading up to the disappearance. Bank records showed that Edwards had withdrawn £200 each day from his bank account in the two weeks leading up to February 1st. This totalled almost £3,000 by the time of his disappearance.

The last confirmed sighting of Edwards was when he checked out of his hotel at 7am on the morning of February 1st. Bizarrely, he left behind a packed suitcase. Edwards was never certainly seen again.

However, there were sightings in the days following his disappearance. One fan, who was unaware that Edwards was missing, said that he spotted Edwards at Newport Bus Station in Edwards’ native Wales.

On 7th February, a Newport taxi driver came forward to say that he had picked up Edwards, before driving him around the local area, including past Edwards’ childhood home. The passenger, who the taxi driver believed to be Edwards, left at Severn View service station, before paying the fare in cash.

It is believed that Edwards had a car at the service station, which he then lived in for a few days. By February 14th, Edwards’ car was given a parking ticket. By February 17th, the car was designated as being abandoned.

Investigators found signs that the car had been lived in for a few days, leading to the Police theorising that the taxi driver’s account was correct, and that Edwards had travelled to the service station.

Tragically, it is believed that at this point Edwards took his own life by jumping off of the Severn Bridge. The Severn Bridge is a renowned “suicide spot”, and given Edwards’ close proximity to the bridge, many belief he took his own life. However, no body was ever found.

Later Developments

In the absence of a body, some have proposed that Edwards was able to fake his death. He might have got tired of the music industry, and sought a calmer, more simple life.

The Manic Street Preachers were left devastated. They made appeals throughout the media to try and raise awareness of the case. But no conclusion was ever found.

Poignantly, as a mark of respect to Edwards, the Manic Street Preachers have always set up an extra, unmanned, microphone at their shows. This has remained the same ever since, and the band continue to do so in the modern day.

Up until 2005, his fellow band members paid 25% of royalties into his bank account. Supposed sightings of Edwards have remained in the years since his disappearance, though nothing concrete was ever found. Edwards was declared legally dead in 2008.

Theories

There are many questions over the disappearance of Richey Edwards. Whilst to some it may seem obvious what happened, there is also a wide body of evidence that points to a different outcome. In total, there are three possible theories that we put forward.

We take a look at the evidence for the three theories:

Theory One: Death after Edwards took his own life

Tragically, most of the evidence points to Edwards taking his own life. His action of withdrawing £3,000 in cash in under two weeks may have been a plan ahead of a final swansong.

The journey Edwards supposedly took in a taxi, including driving past his childhood home, further indicates that he was saying farewell to the world.

Finally, perhaps the most clear evidence is that Edwards was dropped off at Severn Bridge Service Station, which is a renowned suicide spot – where hundreds of people have sadly died in recent years, owing to the bridge’s height.

Edwards had battled with mental health conditions for several years, which increased his risk of suicide. He also left a bottle of the antidepressant Prozac in his Cardiff flat. He was also known to self-harm regularly.

Therefore, there is evidence to suggest that unfortunately, Edwards decided to take his own life. This would have been a tragic end.

Theory Two: Planned Disappearance

However, there is some evidence to the contrary. Edwards himself had mentioned in an interview previously that suicide “didn’t enter his mind”. Friends also stated that it was unlikely that Edwards would have taken his own life.

Moreover, there have been apparent sightings of Edwards in both India and Spain – though the authenticity of these sightings have never been confirmed. While faking a death is difficult, it isn’t impossible, especially if you know the right person.

A key part of the argument to suggest that Edwards planned his disappearance and survived lies in a book Edwards had given to a friend in the build-up to his disappearance.

The book, which was called “Novel with Cocaine“, was given to the friend by Edwards, with the instruction to read the introduction. Inc the introduction, the author spoke about being in a mental asylum (similar to the Priory), before vanishing. Perhaps Edwards did this to explain his plans.

A book named “Withdrawn Traces” by Sara Roberts and Leon Noakes, promoted this theory. Edwards’ younger sister Rachel also contributed to the book; she remains convinced her brother is still alive.

In the book, the authors, with Rachel’s help, were able to find writing by Edwards, which included storylines around disappearing abroad without a trace. His favourite film “Eddie and the Cruisers” was about a rock band whose lead singer vanished following a row with their record label.

As an extra element in this theory, Edwards’ body was never found, despite extensive searches in the River Severn.

Theory Three: Edwards was murdered

There is little evidence to suggest that Edwards was murdered, however the possibility cannot be ruled out. Edwards may have become involved in a difficult situation that eventually got him killed.

The absence of a body, the fact his disappearance was unexpected and the suggestion that Edwards would not take his own life, could add credence to this theory. There is no real evidence pointing to this theory, but it remains a possibility.

Reader Vote

With the above theories in mind, we now invite you to cast your vote on the theory that you believe is most likely in the poll below.

Summary

Richey Edwards certainly left a strong legacy on the world. His musical talent was clear to see. In 2005, the band released their ninth album, which consisted of songs entirely left behind by Edwards.

If Edwards did take his life, it was a tragic loss. However, many hope that he continues to live somewhere around the world, and that he was able to pull off the “perfect disappearance”. Regardless of what happened, Edwards will always be remembered.