Father who devoted life to finding his daughter's murderers dies without ever seeing them punished

John Ward, who devoted his life to hunting the brutal killers of his daughter Julie Ward in Kenya, has died without seeing them brought to justice.

Mr Ward spent three decades and more than £2million trying to solve the notorious 1988 murder in the Maasai Mara.

Wildlife photographer Julie was 28 when she was raped and killed, and her body was cut up, burned and buried.

In his heart-breaking quest for justice, Mr Ward made 200 trips to Kenya and uncovered evidence pointing towards her being killed by the son of then Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi – and he accused the UK authorities of taking part in the cover up. 

Yesterday Mr Ward’s son Bob announced his father had died. Tragically Miss Ward’s mother Janette also died last month.

Wildlife photographer Julie was 28 when she was raped and killed in 1988. Now her father has died before her killers have been brought to justice

John Ward spent three decades and more than £2million trying to solve the notorious 1988 murder in the Maasai Mara

Bob Ward said: ‘After 65 years of marriage, John died within two weeks of his beloved wife Jan. They were born two weeks apart and died two weeks apart. Both have sadly missed the celebrations the family had planned to commemorate their 90th birthdays later this month. They will be sadly missed.’

Ever since Julie’s hideous murder, the couple had battled for the truth in her memory, a crusade now being continued by her younger brothers Bob and Tim. Last night Bob said: ‘For 35 years, the family, led by John, have fought with the Kenyan Government and the British Government, Scotland Yard, and MI6.

Read Related Also: Russian missile attack on Ukraine kills at least 10 in Zelenskyy's hometown

‘This story is nothing short of astonishing as this ordinary but driven family, led by a determined, relentless individual, showed such resilience against the authorities. John knew Julie was murdered.’

Grandfather of four Mr Ward, a retired hotelier from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, travelled to Kenya, the United States, Denmark, Belgium, France, Uganda and Tanzania, in his quest. Through his seventies and eighties, he taught himself forensic science and represented himself in courts in Kenya – where he was cross-examined for a record 28 days – and the UK.

Julie had been on a six-month adventure after quitting her job with a publishing company in Bury St Edmunds to photograph animals in the Maasai Mara game reserve.

When she went missing, in September 1988, Mr Ward boarded a flight to Kenya within hours to start his own search. It was his first time in Africa. 

He paid for five aircraft to conduct a grid search of the area where Julie was last seen and spotted her Suzuki in a gully.

Yesterday Mr Ward’s son Bob announced his father had died. Tragically Miss Ward’s mother Janette also died last month

Her body was eventually found 10 miles away. It was John who found his daughter’s jaw and lower left leg, both burned, deep in bushes.

Over the years, during his tireless search, Mr Ward dug out a latrine near the scene searching for any of Julie’s possessions and stored DNA evidence in his own freezer.

Mr Ward became convinced that Jonathan Moi, the son of the then president, brutally raped Julie and then ordered his drunken cronies to dispose of her body. 

Mr Ward’s search repeatedly hit a brick wall. A pathologist originally said Julie had been murdered, before the report was doctored to say she had been attacked by animals. Then Mr Ward was told his daughter had been struck by lightning.

He claimed the British government and MI6 had helped Kenyan officials to cover up the murder. In 2008, he used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain a 2004 report compiled for Lincolnshire Police which was highly critical of the Foreign Office, the British High Commission and Scotland Yard.