Jean Hanlon: ‘Massive breakthrough’ in woman’s Crete death case

Jean Hanlon’s body was recovered from the sea off Heraklion on 13 March 2009, four days after she disappeared.

At the time she died the 53-year-old had been living in Crete for a number of years, working in bars and tavernas.

A post-mortem examination concluded she drowned but information later suggested there may have been a struggle.

Her son told the BBC that he had found out on Wednesday from his lawyer that the case had been reopened once more.

“This is due to the recent events of us hiring a private investigator who has put together an in-depth 24-page report,” he said.

“This is absolutely massive for us, there is no way they couldn’t have done this.”

He said the private investigator had been able to “answer a lot of unanswered questions” including identifying a man who was with her on the night she went missing.