A normal day turns into a nightmare
Amy Parry thought her husband had simply gone out. When she returned to their home in Seasalter, near Whitstable, she found his wallet, car, and phone still there. Her 13-year-old son was home alone. But 54-year-old Ed Parry had vanished without a trace.
She reported him missing that evening, and police launched a search. But it wasn’t until almost two days later—guided by the family dog—that Amy made the grim discovery herself. Ed’s body was wedged between their shed and a garden fence.
“I never thought for one second he was on the property,” she said. “One of my dogs kept going behind the back there, and then it just dawned on me.”
A freak accident
An inquest heard that Ed Parry, a plumber and local musician, had suffered a catastrophic wound to his left wrist while using a handheld chainsaw during gardening work. The tool was found nearby with visible bloodstaining.
Coroner Sarah Clarke confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances. No substances of concern were found in his system, and there were no signs of intent to self-harm. She ruled the death accidental.
Amy had returned home around 4:30pm on April 21 after dropping her eldest son in Ashford. “It was a normal bank holiday Monday,” she recalled. “It was literally like he’d been abducted. It didn’t add up at all.”
Police under review
Despite three police searches of the house, CCTV checks and financial record reviews, Ed remained missing until Amy found him herself on April 23. By then she had already called 999 and ran out to meet officers doing door-to-door enquiries.
She later raised concerns with Kent Police about how the case was handled.
“It should have been taken more seriously from the get-go,” she said. “They searched next door. If they’d just looked over the fence, they would have seen him.”
Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh said a full review was conducted. It found officers were professional and kept in contact with the family, but accepted that the initial property search “could have been broader”. The force has since made changes to its missing person procedures and issued an apology to the family.
Remembering Ed
Ed Parry was a much-loved dad-of-two and the lead guitarist in local band The Laziathons, who have said they won’t continue without him. “His love of life was family and music,” Amy said. “He was extremely likeable, extremely friendly, and kind.”
She said the worst part was not knowing what had happened. “Those two days were the worst of my life. He didn’t have mental health problems, but you start questioning everything.”
Recording a conclusion of accidental death, Coroner Clarke said she hoped the record would help Ed’s children understand what happened as they grow older.
