Why Stephen killed in India, Mother's theory

Mother's theory on his son's murder

I believe Stephen was abducted, possibly whilst fairly intoxicated. People had overheard his talk about aids etc. He may have gone with his abductors in the belief that he was going to get an aids test. (I am told that you can get a test and a result on the same day in India). He did not check out of his room, so who did it for him?

I think his abductors took him, (plus his passport and money), to Panaji. His first call to me was probably allowed by his captors, as he would have begged for that. He truly believed at that moment he was about to be murdered. The man barely spoke English and told him he was in Panjim and probably did not understand what Stephen was telling me.

At some point someone returned his passport and money. They told him they would take him to Bombay (for this aids test) since they were also going there to see a fireworks display, and to visit a firework factory.

They might have travelled by train, and the ticket office might be able to verify. However from what he said I believe they travelled by car. Stephen realized they were lying about the fireworks and knew his life was in danger. In Roha, which is where I believe he called me from, he may have thought he had escaped his captors, but this is a small place with only 8,000 inhabitants, with open land and forests all around, so there would be nowhere for him to hide. These two people murdered him here and then faked a suicide. Hopefully they had drugged him first.

Stephen would not know that there were forests in this region, and would not make such unlikely arrangements to kill himself in this remote place. He would not have had the dexterity to do the physical act, let alone buy a rope and walk alone into a forest he did not know existed, in an area he had never heard of. He could hardly tie his shoelaces. This appalling act of murder must be punished.

His children were his life and he would never have done this to them. This act of suicide would be have been against everything he believed in.

He does not look wealthy, and he traveled in very old scruffy clothes. His money could have been stolen from his room without any abduction. Was Stephen abducted twice? By two independent abductors? This would be something of a coincidence.

The police in England should be able to obtain the telephone numbers he called from to our number.

Why Stephen went to Goa

Due to some personal reasons, he had decided to go away for a few weeks in the sun. He planned to buy presents for his children, who live in Cornwall, and to be back in time for Christmas.

He searched the internet for a cheap flight to the sun. The flight to Goa was very cheap, around £179 return, so he could not resist it.

Signed: (Maureen Bennett) …………………………………………... Date:14/12/ 06