'Help us get justice for our boys': Mums of Johnny Connelly and Rhys Bonner join forces

The mothers of Johnny Connelly and Rhys Bonner have joined forces in a bid to gain answers over what happened to their boys - who were found days apart.

Both men were reported as missing persons before their bodies were tragically discovered last year.

READ MORE: Detectives investigating unexplained death of Milton man Johnny Connelly appeal for three men to come forward

A search was launched for Milton man Johnny, 28 after he failed to return home. He was reported as a missing person on July 15 before his body was recovered from the water at Spiers Wharf on July 22. He had injuries to his head and body. 

READ MORE: Messages honour Rhys Bonner after body find in search for Glasgow teen

Tragic teen Rhys, 19, was found half-naked on August 8 in marsh ground between Easterhouse and Gartloch village. He vanished from the Balanark area of the city on July 24 and a search was launched for him via social media. 

Now their mums Norah Connelly and Stephanie Bonner have met for the first time to get answers over what happened to their sons. The deaths have never been treated as murder and the women believe their sons could have met violent ends. 

In a joint statement released to The Daily Record, the women said: "Our sons’ killers are out there and people know who and why.

"Don’t let something like this happen to you. Help us get justice for our boys.”

Mum-of-five Stephanie added: "I just need to know what happened to my boy. He was 19. I have no doubt my son was murdered. I need answers. We all miss him so much.”

Norah, who has two daughters, continued: “Whoever put Johnny in that canal did it to make it look like a suicide. My son would never have left me alone. Life is empty for us all now. I know Johnny was assaulted before he died. I will never give up searching for answers.”

READ MORE: Family of tragic Milton man Johnny Connelly create memorial bench in his honour

Celtic fan Rhys told his mum he was going to watch the football with his dad before his disappearance. 

He never turned up and she waited two days before contacting police. 

She said: "I knew as only a mother would that something terrible had happened to Rhys.

"I put it on Facebook asking if anyone had seen him. I heard he was seen with an older woman and we told the police this but they did nothing so me and my sister went to her house and she denied even knowing Rhys.

“It took the police two weeks to search where his body was found and, even even months later, I’m still not sure of the exact location but he was found half-naked, with his clothes about 20 yards away.

“His baseball cap was discovered in a common stair and had been washed. The shorts he was wearing that day have never been found.

“They didn’t have any forensics out they just put him in a van and took him away. They said they wouldn’t get any forensics due to the length of time. It took them seven weeks to formally identify him.”

The determined mum said she carried out her own investigations and uncovered CCTV of the teenager with a woman. She, however,  revealed that police took days to check cameras at her urging.

She said: “During those seven weeks, I still kept praying it wasn’t him but I knew deep down. I knew my boy was gone. I have prayed for justice, for answers.

"This has broken my family. It has consumed my life. I promised Rhys when he was lying in his coffin I would get answers for him and I would get justice. It’s all I can do for my son. We’re all shattered.”

She added: "Rhys was a cheeky but loveable teenager with his whole life ahead.

"His disappearance and death should have been taken more seriously. I feel let down by the police. Nobody from Police Scotland has been helping me. I’ve been forced to seek the answers myself.

“It’s soul-destroying. I can’t let this happen to anyone else. My boy, our boys, deserve more. I beg anyone who may have information to speak to the police or call in anonymously.

“Someone must know what happened to my son. His brothers and sisters miss him – we all do.”

Norah explained that due to the length of time her son was in the water, evidence was lost. She hopes appeals by the police will help the family find out what happened to him. 

She said: "It’s taken all this time for police to put out an appeal. When Johnny went missing and his body was found, my ex-husband made a video retracing his steps.

“They had Johnny on CCTV walking until he got to the underpass at Spiers Wharf. Johnny had learning difficulties and no sense of danger. If someone spoke to him, he’d chat back not realising if he was in danger.

“It breaks my heart to think my boy would be alive today if he’d been paid his wages when he should have been. He wouldn’t have gone into town, he’d have stayed local and met up with his friends.

“The police don’t know how he ended up in the water but whoever attacked him did it to make it look like suicide. We still don’t know how Johnny died. He’d been in the water too long. Evidence was lost.

“The police weren’t helping which is why we put out videos and put up information and appeals on social media.

“Johnny was a family man. We were very close. His twin sister, Norah, and his big sister Michelle miss him so much – his dad as well. None of us can have peace until we know what happened to him.

“Johnny had never been in any trouble. He just liked to go to his work, come home, see his friends and enjoy his life. He didn’t deserve to die like that but he does deserve justice. Rhys and Johnny both do.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A report on Rhys’s death has been submitted to the procurator fiscal. We keep in regular contact with the family.

“We have issued appeals for information on Jonathan’s death. We keep in regular contact with his family”.