Timeline: Daniel Morgan axe murder
On the 24th anniversary of private detective Daniel Morgan's death, the inquiry into his murder outside a pub in Sydenham, south-east London, collapsed.
Since 1987, the Metropolitan Police (Met) said it had dealt with 750,000 documents, taken 8,854 actions, provided 6,180 statements, gathered 17,960 exhibits and interviewed 188 witnesses.
The following shows the key dates in a case which, after six investigations, three years of legal hearings and an estimated £30m cost, remains unsolved.
10 March 1987
Daniel Morgan's body, with an axe embedded in his head, is found in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham.
3 April 1987
Six men are arrested over the murder but police find there was not enough evidence to charge any of them.
An inquest at Southwark Coroner's Court gives a verdict of unlawful killing.
Papers are again submitted to the CPS but no charges brought.
24 June 1988
The Met refers the case to the Police Complaints Authority (now the Independent Police Complaints Commission) after allegations against the police by Mr Morgan's family.
The review by Hampshire Constabulary looks at "allegations that police were involved in the murder of Daniel Morgan".
31 January 1989
Three people are arrested by the force conducting the investigation.
Two of them are charged with murder and one for perverting the course of justice.
11 May 1989
The Director of Public Prosecutions discontinues proceedings.
9 June 1989
The IPCC inquiry concludes without any evidence produced to support any allegation of criminal misconduct by Met officers.
A covert investigation, Operation Two Bridges, finds information relevant to the case.
Following the investigation, charges are brought in connection with an unrelated matter.
A review by the Met's Murder Review Group finds new investigative opportunities and recommends the case should be re-investigated.
The Met launches a new covert investigation, Operation Abelard.
Police appeal for witnesses and information on the case in Crimewatch.
October 2002 to January 2003
Eight people are arrested during this period but all are released on bail.
The Met submits evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration.
The CPS says there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and all people previously bailed are released.
The case is referred to the Met's Murder Review Group which concludes all lines of inquiry are exhausted.
Another investigation, Operation Abelard Two, begins.
Two men are arrested and bailed.
A third man is arrested and bailed.
James Cook and brothers Glenn and Garry Vian are charged with murder.
Two other men are arrested, of which William John Rees is charged with murder, and the second with perverting the course of justice. The case against the second man was later discharged.
A serving Pc in Southwark is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and bailed.
The Pc's bail is cancelled and no further action taken against him. His arrest was not in connection with Mr Morgan's murder but in connection with the five other arrests.
He is suspended and due to face a misconduct hearing, but resigns before that.
A seventh man is arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. He remains on bail.
A woman is arrested and bailed on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
The woman is released with no further action taken.
William John Rees, James Cook, Glenn Vian and Garry Vian are granted conditional bail pending a trial in November 2010.
The judge imposes reporting restrictions on the case.
James Cook is discharged.
William John Rees and Glenn and Garry Vian are formally acquitted.
The police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are blamed in a report for the collapse of the trial.
The report, carried out by both the Metropolitan Police and CPS, said three boxes of potential evidence were not disclosed to the defence and that several "supergrass" witnesses were not properly handled.