Police have released the photo of a Coventry man wanted over the killing of a dad-of-two stabbed to death in the street.

Yesterday (Sunday) marked seven years since Jon Casey was “violently, viciously and brutally” attacked in Northampton on January 16, 2015.

A murder investigation was launched and is still "very much a live one", police have said.

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Detectives named the prime suspect as Waijs Dahir, from Coventry, who is believed to have returned to the city shortly after Jon's death and then left the country on January 17, 2015.

And now for the first time, a photo of Dahir has been released by Crimestoppers as the bid to find him continues.

A reward for information leading to his arrest and return to the UK to face trial has now been increased to £35,000.

Dahir, who was a student at the University of Northampton at the time of Jon's death, was believed to have been living in Mogadishu, Somalia, after the murder and is thought to have strong links to Kenya.

However it is also possible he may have travelled back to Europe, possibly to the UK or to the Netherlands, where he is understood to have dual nationality.

Wajis Dahir
Wajis Dahir

But despite an international arrest warrant and a reward put forward by Jon’s family, the suspect is still on the run.

Mum's open letter

Jon's mother previously marked the tragic anniversary in 2020 by writing an open letter to her son's killer.

Siobhan Bowe told the culprit behind the brutal murder that she hopes his dying image “haunts your every dream” and “cripples you with regret".

Jon Casey
Jon Casey

Siobhan also warned the killer, who remains at large, that the family “will always be looking for you and for justice”, with the reward remaining indefinitely.

In the letter, Siobhan said: “The death of Jon - a son, a partner, a brother and a daddy to two little girls - changed our lives forever. The person responsible ran away to hide from the consequence of their actions, something we were unable to do.”

Addressing the killer directly, Siobhan said: “I hope you remember with horror that cold dark January night when you murdered my son. I hope you think of the moment when you got the knife to attack my defenceless son and I hope that thought cripples you with regret. I hope the thought of you violently, viciously and brutally attacking my son always darkens your day.

Jon Casey - pictured here with his mum Siobhan - was murdered in Northampton in January 2015 and the prime suspect, Waijs Dahir, is from Coventry.

“I hope when you look at your hands you see my son’s blood, blood you will never be able to wash away. I hope the memory of my dying son stumbling away from you haunts your every dream.

“I hope that as you ran away leaving my son to die in the street you knew that your life would change forever. I hope that wherever you are you have no peace, no resemblance of life as you knew it and no future.”

Police statement

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: “The investigation into the murder of Jon Casey remains very much a live one.

“Officers from our Major Crime Team are ready to pursue all new lines of enquiry and we encourage anybody with any information about what happened back in January 2015 to get in touch.

"However insignificant it may seem, it could just be the missing piece of the jigsaw we need in order to obtain justice for Jon and his family.

“This case was and remains a complex one with the main suspect believed to have fled overseas.

“Witnesses or anyone with information should contact Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting Operation Nanny. Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111"

Anyone with information can also contact Crimestoppers online here or email informationforjon@proeliumlaw.com or call 07526 081094.

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