Frank McKeever vanished in the summer of 2021

THE family of a murder victim say his life was “cruelly” cut short after two people were sentenced for his killing.

Surie Suksiri and Juned Sheikh were sentenced to life in prison at the Old Bailey on Monday for the murder and prevention of lawful and decent burial of Frank McKeever’s body.

The court heard how Ms Suksiri – Mr McKeever’s stepdaughter – and Mr Sheikh, her partner, subjected Mr McKeever to “significant and sustained violence and he suffered a protracted, humiliating and painful death”, according to Catherine Patterson KC, prosecuting.

Mr McKeever’s body has never been found despite extensive searches by the police.

The investigation later became a murder inquiry and police said Ms Suksiri had told another person that they had “battered the f*** out of him” and disposed of the body “80 miles” outside of London.

At the sentencing, Dominic McKeever, Frank’s older brother, delivered a victim impact statement.

“In the summer of 2021, Frank had embarked on a new and positive chapter in his life. He was busy making plans to move house, enjoyed exploring London with his new Freedom Pass, and had reconnected with us, his siblings, much to our happiness,” he said.

“Frank had a lot to live for. His bright future has been cruelly taken away… Our initial shock of learning of Frank’s disappearance in 2021 soon turned to despair as it became clear he had come to harm.

Jailed: Juned Sheikh and, right, Surie Suksiri – Mr McKeever’s stepdaughter

“We still do not know where Frank is, and have been unable to give him the loving and dignified farewell he deserves. We will instead think back to the cheerful, entertaining, intelligent brother with whom we grew up and was always making friends wherever he went.

“As he grew older, he enjoyed a busy social life, including as a mature student. I was lucky to have met Frank in July 2021 after he had been absent from our lives for too long.

“He talked about difficulties he had experienced without a hint of anger, bitterness, or ill-feeling towards others.

“I was reminded strongly throughout our meeting of the kind nature he had displayed throughout his life.”

The 63-year-old became the source of a missing person’s inquiry when he vanished in August 2021.

The last sighting of Mr McKeever was in a CCTV clip (below) walking along Highbury Park, close to Highbury Grange.

Ms Suksiri told a witness that she had killed Mr McKeever because he had abused her as a child.

The police checked their records and could find no formal allegations were ever made against him and said there was no evidence found to support the abuse claim.

Mr McKeever’s brother told the court that the allegation “besmirched his character [and] added to our pain, and at times it felt like Frank was on ­trial”.

Mr Sheikh must serve a minimum 24 years before a parole board can decide whether or not he can be released, and Ms Suksiri must serve 18 years.

Judge Anthony Bate, delivering his sentencing remarks, said that Mr Sheikh’s culpability was “aggravated” due to previous convictions, most recently for robbery.

Ms Suksiri’s personal culpability was reduced, the judge ruled, due to her low IQ of 65 and a diagnosis of complex PTSD.

He added: “Mr McKeever’s family cannot lay him to rest. The deliberate obstruction of the course of justice compounded by repeated lies that Mr McKeever was still alive was a wicked and sustained deceit.”