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A contact line set up following the revelation that a hospital electrician abused the bodies of 100 dead women in Kent mortuaries, has already received 80 calls from members of the public.
Yesterday, David Fuller, from East Sussex, pleaded guilty to the murders of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in 1987, in Tunbridge Wells.
Following his arrest in December 2020, police found videos and photos hidden in Fuller's home, of him assaulting the bodies of of 100 dead women at the now closed Kent and Sussex Hospital, and Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
Fuller committed the sickening acts between 2008 and November 2020, violating three women who were under the age of 18, and others over 85-years-old.
One of his victims was 24-year-old Azra Kemal, 24, who died in July 2020, after falling 30ft from a bridge on the A21. Her mum has spoken of her pain, upon discovering her daughter was violated by Fuller.
After the discovery, Operation Sandpiper, £2.5m operation looking into Fuller's offences, was launched, which included sifting through hours of CCTV and digital data, identifying victims, and creating a package of support for families of victims.
So far, 81 of the victims have been identified, but police have said it’s likely that the names of some will never be known, due to factors such as a lack of distinctive marks, scars or tattoos, and other limited information.
A phone line set up in the wake of the revelation has already received 81 calls this morning, Kent Police have said.
The force say they are not asking members of the public for assistance with Operation Sandpiper, but the phone line is intended for people who feel they may have information about the investigation.
This could include people who are now worried their own relatives might have been harmed by Fuller in the mortuaries.
In a statement following Fuller's guilty plea, Det Ch Supt Paul Fotheringham said: "We know this is an extremely distressing time for anyone who feels that this may impact upon their loved ones who should have received the dignity they deserved in death.
"We have worked diligently with the health trust, coronial services, and examined records including medical, to carry out the identification process for the victims.
"This robust procedure has been scrutinised by senior police officers and staff, and a senior coroner’s officer.
"Part of our enquiries has been to identify victims and we have found evidence of 100 victims, having worked through the vast majority of evidence.
"So far, we have been able to formally identify 81 of his victims in the mortuary. We have specially trained family liaison officers who have spoken to all the families of those we have identified to date.
"Dedicated and specialist welfare support services has been made available to those families.
"These specialist officers will speak directly and privately to all families of further victims we are able to identify as the investigation continues."
"Unfortunately, this ongoing process is not a matter with which the public is able to assist.
"We have narrowed down the potential identification of some of the outstanding victims and our officers will make further enquiries in a sensitive and private manner to families whose loved ones were in the mortuary during the time period we have established they were there so that we can try and determine who they are."
"Sadly, it is likely to be the case that some of the victims will never be identified. In these cases there is such limited information available to help us with establishing their identities, and there are no lines of enquiry outside of the investigation that can assist us."
The offences committed by Fuller in the mortuaries have prompted an independent investigation into how the murderer was able to commit his crimes in the hospital.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has called for all NHS trusts to review access to mortuaries and post-mortem activities.
To contact the phone line, dial 0800 051 5270, or click here.
