Medium claims she told police where to find missing Deal man Alex Holland's body
Published: 05:00, 04 March 2022
Updated: 14:14, 04 March 2022
A mother whose son was found dead says she suspects foul play - and is being supported by a medium who claims she told police where to find his body.
Father-of-two Alex Holland disappeared on November 28 last year and his body was discovered by a dog walker in water between Deal and Worth two weeks ago.
His mother Rachel insists her son would never have committed suicide and told KentOnline that she wants police to do more.
"I want them to find out what happened that night after he left this house,” she added.
"They need to be putting their resources into finding out. I don't know if the police are taking me seriously or not."
"As a family, as a mother, I need answers. I know my son. This wasn't suicide.
"He would not have left his two girls.
"I had been clinging to a bit of hope that maybe he was going to come back.
"Now, I just want justice for him because none of this adds up."
"As a family, as a mother, I need answers..."
She says Alex was found wearing one slider - a backless, open toed shoe. The other was found 10ft from where his hire car was found, approximately 1.5 miles away, in Worth.
His phone was also found in the car. There has been no suicide note.
Despite requests, she says she still doesn't know where his wallet or car keys are.
She said: "I don't think he could have walked all of that way in pitch darkness, with no phone so no torch, in one slider and not have any marks on his body.
"If he was planning on going for a walk, he wouldn't go out in sliders and no coat in November."
Grieving Mrs Holland has been in contact with psychic Mary Lawton Johnson, who claims she told officers where to search for the body in January.
Mary, who lives in Florida and has never been to Kent, became involved after she was contacted by a friend of Alex's family.
She says she connected with the 27-year-old after "seeing him on a street corner" and started experiencing visions of him "face down in water".
She says she sent 12 emails to both the police and his family with maps highlighting areas of water which should be searched, as well as tweeting about her experiences.
She also says she has sent descriptions of "suspects" to officers, who continue to treat the death as non-suspicious.
Tweeting on Tuesday, she said: "Kent police, if you had listened to me you would have found Rachel's son sooner.
"She and I both told you where his body was and it was in the area you never searched. I did your job for you."
KentOnline has seen the email exchanges between Mary and Kent Police.
She said: "I knew where he was. I knew he was laying in the water face down.
"I was born with the gift of being a remote viewer psychic medium.
"It’s a very scary gift to some. I’ve had it all of my life and I don’t charge for my gift. I give it away so that families such as Rachel can have closure as well as spirit.
"I am a family's last hope when the system has failed them."
She has told police she believes Alex was murdered.
She said: "He was murdered in a car and they disposed of the body in the water where he was found between Worth and Deal."
Her visions tell her that three people were involved.
"She continued: "How do I know all of this? Alex showed me.
"Three people have not been brought to justice. I need to see justice done for Rachel and her family.
"I have to find fault with the Kent Police because they didn’t pay attention to me.
"Had they, they would’ve found his body and probably been able to preserve forensic evidence which would lead to the killers.
"I am willing to assist the police in any way I can so that the killers of Alex can be brought in."
A post mortem examination has recorded Alex's cause of death as 'unexplained', with toxicology reports not expected for 12-14 weeks.
Mrs Holland said: "If they had listened to Mary and searched that area, they would have been able to find him sooner, and I might have been able to see him and say goodbye to him.
"Because it's been so long, he has had to been identified by his DNA and his tattoo, and we have not been allowed to see him.
"All our hopes of ever seeing him again have been dashed."
Alex was living back home with his parents in Delane Road after being separated from his wife, at the time he went missing.
On the night of November 28 he popped his head around his parents' bedroom door to ask his dad, Mark Holland, to wake him up in the morning because he had work and the dentist.
The delivery driver, who worked for upholstery firm Plumbs in Dover, then went outside for a cigarette.
"If they had listened to Mary... I might have been able to see him and say goodbye to him..."
An hour later Mrs Holland saw that he wasn't in bed but assumed he'd decided to go out.
It wasn't until teatime the next day after repeated unsuccessful attempts to reach him via his mobile, she reported him missing to the police.
Mrs Holland, a care assistant, continued to raise the profile of her son's disappearance with heartfelt appeals and a designated Facebook page 'Help find missing Alex Holland'.
After 81 days of no leads, the former Sir Roger Manwood's pupil was discovered in water in Pinnock Wall in Hacklinge, close to Lilyroo's campsite.
Officials have indicated to his family that he is likely to have been there all of this time.
Paying tribute last week, she said she would like her son to be remembered as a doting dad and loving family man.
Kent Police say officers have made "extensive inquiries following the death" of Alex and a report is being prepared for the coroner who will hold an inquest to determine the cause of death.
They did not respond directly to questions relating to the tip-offs from Mary Lawton Johnson or offered guidance on how the force processes such information.
However, guidelines published by the College of Policing in 2015 advised that information from psychics should not be dismissed.
This is only from "accredited" individuals and once all other lines of inquiry have been exhausted.
Det Insp Louise Murphy of Kent Police said: "A number of inquiries have been carried out into the circumstances of the death, including reviewing CCTV footage and examining mobile phone data and, based on the available information, there is nothing so far to suggest the death is suspicious.
"A post-mortem has been completed and we are treating the death as unexplained at this stage, pending further toxicology results.
"All of the evidence gathered will be submitted to the coroner for consideration.
"Updates have been provided to the family of the deceased where appropriate and we will continue to relay any concerns or questions they may have to the coroner.
"We appreciate how difficult this is for Alex’s family and friends and our thoughts remain with them."
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Eleanor Perkins