THE key to unlocking the murder of Reece James Menzies lies in Bournemouth, say detectives.

The 21-year-old from London was gunned down in a flat in Roumelia Lane, Boscombe , two weeks ago.

He was shot in the face in a gang land ‘execution-style’ killing.

Now Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Connolly who is leading the investigation, says he believes local people have the answers.

He told the Daily Echo: “There are people in Boscombe and wider Bourne-mouth who know what has gone on here.”

He added: “They need to come forward and talk to us.”

Although Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood has described it as “a spill over from the drugs turf war in London”, DCI Connolly said he was keeping an open mind about the motive.

“There’s been a lot of speculation about what’s behind this but it’s not that simple. Some of that speculation may well be wrong.

“It could be drugs, it could be a dispute over a woman or it could be general rivalry.

“This is a hugely complex investigation.”

“We are still looking at numerous possibilities and we have not closed anything off.

“However, whatever the trigger for this murder was it was instigated in Bournemouth. I am pretty confident of that.”

Officers are also trying to establish if there’s a link between the killing in the early hours of Wednesday, July 22 and any incidents involving the flat in the days leading up to it.

DCI Connolly, of Dorset’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said the main focus of the enquiry continued to be Bournemouth.

Forensic investigations are still being carried out and house-to-house enquiries are ongoing.

A number of people are being interviewed.

Following his death, it was claimed that Reece was believed to have been a member of a gang called the Church Road Soldiers, based in Harlesden, North London.

Dorset Police have stepped up patrols in the Boscombe area as part of an effort to reassure the public.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 25:46, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.