Body of millionaire’s son who went missing near George Clooney’s mansion believed to be found by police
A body has been recovered in the case of Alexander Stern, the son of a millionaire, who went missing near George Clooney's $14.8M (£12M) mansion, in Sonning, Berkshire, on January 11.
The 36-year-old was last seen carrying a rucksack when he left The Bull Inn pub in Sonning, which is a quarter of a mile from the 'Ocean's Eleven' actor's home around 7.30 p.m. A search was conducted by the Thames Valley Police in the days following his disappearance. On April 3, a man's body was discovered in the River Thames about two miles downstream, near Charvil, Daily Mail reported.
Although the body has not been officially identified yet, authorities believed that it belonged to the missing man.
On Monday, April 6, a Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner. Alexander’s next of kin has been informed and is being supported at this time. They wish to express their gratitude to the community for their support throughout this difficult time."
Alexander is the son of Ronald Stern, from Hampstead, London, who runs a stationery empire and is well-known for as one of Britain's top Ferrari collectors.
Before he disappeared, Alexander was caught on a CCTV camera exiting the pub and wheeling a suitcase along the street. He was also recorded walking towards Sonning Bridge. A few days later, a postman found a rucksack on the bridge above the Thames. It was swollen and flooded following a series of storms.
At the time, the police released a couple of screengrabs from the footage, inviting the public's assistance in locating Alexander.
"The police and his family and friends are very concerned for his welfare. If you saw Alexander on January 11, or think you may have seen him, please contact Thames Valley Police. We hope these images may remind you of what Alexander was wearing and carrying that day and hope this could help trace him," Detective Inspector Ben Henley, the investigating officer, said in January.
He added: "If anyone in the area could check any CCTV or dash-cam footage they have and let us know of anything you find which could be related to Alexander, please share this with us."
As the search for him intensified, there were certain areas sealed off by police to prevent members of the public from accessing. Villagers living near the area believed that Alexander had fallen victim to a "curse" that permeated the area. The bodies of four people were discovered at the particular stretch of the river over a span of six months.
Although the police did not link the deaths, one Sonning villager said: "Some folk are saying the stretch of river might suddenly have had a curse put on it. We do get people drowning in the river but to have four in six months is very unusual, and now Mr. Stern has gone missing too."
The villager added that Clooney was a respected resident in the area. "George Clooney and his wife have settled in and everyone likes them - they have been very good in helping out with activities and various good causes in the village. It must be terrible for them to hear about these deaths, especially with the river running past the bottom of their garden," the villager said.