20-year-old Ricky Reel had been out drinking with friends on Tuesday, the 14th of October 1997.
He and three friends were racially abused by two white men in the town centre resulting in an altercation.
Although Ricky did not get involved, his body was found in the Thames seven days later.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
Commander Catherine Roper, Specialist Crime, said:
“It has been 25 years since Ricky died. My thoughts are with Ricky’s family and
the pain they must still feel today.
"I hope that this appeal will encourage people to come
forward with any piece of information they may have, however small they think it
is, to help us piece together what happened that night in Kingston.
"We remain hopeful that we can provide answers for the
family, and we need the help of the public to achieve this.’
Ricky and three friends had been planning an evening in a
local nightclub. As they walked through the town centre in Kingston, two white
men, aged between 18 and 30, saw Ricky and his friends and shouted racial
abuse.
There was an altercation between Ricky's friends and the men
– Ricky did not get involved and he walked away on his own and disappeared.
Tragically, his body was found in the Thames at the end of
Downhall Road on Tuesday, the 21st of October 1997.
An inquest in 1999 into Ricky’s death returned an open
verdict. No arrests have been made, or charges brought in connection with
Ricky’s death.
We would urge anyone with information to contact police on
101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
