A MAN found guilty of the murder of St Albans resident Murray Thompson has been jailed for 21 years.

James Evans, 24, of Bushey Mill Lane, Watford, was yesterday, Thursday, at St Albans Crown Court found guilty of Mr Thompson’s murder, perverting the course of justice, preventing a lawful burial and conspiracy to produce cannabis.

Evans, a cannabis grower, was involved in a large-scale commercial drug operation.

He has been jailed for a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Mr Thompson, whose body has never been found.

Evans killed Mr Thompson in a Watford flat where the pair tended to cannabis plants as part of a large-scale commercial drug operation before disposing of his body and attempting to cover up his tracks.

The “chief executive” of the Watford drug operation, Lee Sullivan, 48, of Hudson Close in Watford, was also jailed for eight years for producing cannabis and conspiring to pervert the course of justice by attempting to intimidate witnesses and helping to cover up the murder.

A third man involved in the cover-up was jailed last year for seven years and ordered to pay �50,000 costs.

Amit Agar, 32, of Parkfield in Chorleywood, was convicted of conspiring to produce cannabis and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Thompson, 34-years-old, was a cannabis grower for the operation, and vanished in April 2010.

Detectives from the joint Beds, Herts and Cambs Major Crime Unit set about investigating his disappearance and were able to prove Mr Thompson was murdered in a flat in St Albans Road, Watford.

Commenting after today’s, (Friday) sentencing, Detective Inspector Jerome Kent from the unit said: “We are much clearer with what happened on the day Murray was murdered but the exact motive is still not known.

The jury were confident that James Evans was responsible for his murder and I’m pleased with today’s sentence.”

Herts Police are still looking for Mr Thompson’s body. Anyone with information should contact non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.