Overview
- Emergency services discovered a 26-year-old man at the Nine Ladies Stone Circle and pronounced him dead following a call made on Monday, June 22, and Derbyshire police have named him locally as Isaac Clare-Watts.
- Detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit are leading the murder inquiry and have set up a Major Incident Public Portal for people who were at the site between June 19 and June 23 to submit images, video or dashcam footage, quoting reference 26*364216.
- A 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the case and has since been released on bail while investigators continue to examine evidence.
- The stone circle and surrounding area remain closed with an increased police presence, Derby Mountain Rescue Team and ambulance crews assisted at the scene, and specialist officers are supporting the victim’s family.
- The site’s role as a focus for large summer solstice gatherings means dozens of potential witnesses may hold key information and the case could prompt calls for greater on-site safety measures and tighter crowd management at future events.