Man, 68, arrested on suspicion of murder of teenager missing since 1998
Donna Keogh was last seen in 1998
Police investigating the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl who was last seen in 1998 have arrested a man on suspicion of murder.
Listen to this article
Donna Keogh’s body has never been found after she went missing from Middlesbrough town centre.
Cleveland Police said a 64-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday morning in Leeds.
Detectives investigating her disappearance and suspected murder have been carrying out inquiries in the city in recent weeks.
Donna was last seen in Middlesbrough on April 28 1998 and was known to have travelled to Leeds that year.
Read more: Family pays tribute to girl, 16, stabbed to death in 'row over boy' - as fifth suspect arrested
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Steven Chatterton said: “This morning we have made an arrest as a result of our recent inquiries, and the man remains in police custody at this time for questioning.
“I would like to reiterate our appeal for anyone to contact us who may have seen Donna, spoken to her, or knows anything about her movements in Leeds in 1998 to come forward.
“We are in close contact with Donna’s family and they have lived with unbearable uncertainty for nearly 30 years.
“We are determined to find out what happened to Donna for them.
“Somebody out there knows the truth. If you have information, please tell us. You can contact us directly or report anonymously.”
The charity Crimestoppers has offered a £20,000 reward for information about Donna’s murder.
In 2018, police dug up an allotment on Teesside and found human remains but forensic testing revealed them to date back to medieval times.
Earlier this month, Cleveland Police shared: “Tragically, Donna’s father, Brian, recently passed away without ever learning what happened to his daughter — something which has caused profound distress to the family."
In 2016, following an independent review of the original police investigation, Cleveland Police launched Operation Resolute – a newly formed inquiry committed to establishing exactly what happened to Donna.
The inquiry has formally been declared a murder investigation, with a dedicated team of experienced detectives committed to bringing those responsible for Donna’s murder to justice.
At the time of her disappearance, Donna was living with her cousins in a block of flats called King House, Central Mews, Middlesbrough.