Detectives are offering a reward of up to £20,000 for help to trace the killer of a man whose body was discovered in the freezer of a derelict pub.

The remains of Roy Bigg were found in the basement of the former Simpson’s Wine Bar in Forest Gate, east London, on 15 October 2021.

Police were called after builders working at the property made the gruesome discovery.

Mr Bigg went missing in February 2012 and is believed to have been aged 70 when he died.

His body is thought to have been in the freezer for several years, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be inconclusive, with Mr Bigg’s remains identified using his dental records.

The force has made a fresh appeal for information and offered the reward for information leading to the arrest, charge and prosecution of Mr Bigg’s killers.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, of the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command, asked anyone who knew Mr Bigg to come forward.

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“It’s been more than two years since Roy was found,” DCI Allen said.

“Although our investigation and previous media appeals have provided us with information about Roy’s life, we still need your help to identify who is responsible.

“Roy went missing in February 2012. We believe that his body may have been in the freezer for a number of years, and that he was aged 70 when he died.”

To date, there have been “no confirmed sightings” during the nine-year period between 2012 and 2021, DCI Allen added.

“Anything you can tell us may prove invaluable in helping us discover what happened,” she said.