The Star, Sheffield
By Claire Lewis
Monday May 15, 2023
Abdi Ali, from Sheffield, has been wanted in connection with a murder for nearly five years
Abdi Ali is wanted for questioning by detectives investigating the murder of another man in July 2018 but despite appeals for him to come forward, he remains on the run.
Ali, who is also known as Mohammed Ismail, Black Johnny, Gulaid and Madman, was born in Somalia but brought up in Sheffield after moving there as a child. He lived there until he moved to the east coast in the summer of 2018.
He is believed to hold vital information about the murder of 47-year-old Shaun Lyall, who was tortured and battered to death in his home in Cleethorpes.
Craig Whittle, of Corporation Road, Grimsby, was jailed for life over the murder but jurors in his trial were told that he did not act alone and Sheffield man Abdi Ali was also involved in the killing.
He has links to the Shirecliffe and Pitsmoor areas of Sheffield and has been described by detectives investigating Mr Lyall’s murder as a ‘significant suspect’ in the case.
He has links to Somalian communities in a number of places across the UK including Sheffield, London, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Lincolnshire and Cleveland.Mr Lyall was battered with a range of weapons including golf clubs, screwdrivers, a knife, scissors and a length of wood.
The motive for the attack is said to have been missing drugs and cash that Mr Lyall was supposed to have been looking after.
Despite repeated appeals for Ali to come forward to assist police with their enquiries, he continues to evade arrest and remains at large.
Mr Lyall’s family runs a Facebook group where Ali’s photograph is regularly shared in the hope that somebody may recognise him and alert the police to his whereabouts.
Photos of Ali have been shared by Humberside Police showing him both with and without a gold front tooth.
Anyone with information on Ali’s whereabouts should call Humberside Police on 101 and quote incident number 517 of July 17.
Crimestoppers can also be contacted, anonymously, on 0800 555111.