Friends find teenager dead hours after party argument

Published on Tuesday 1 July 2008 10:29

A TEENAGER was found dead by his two best friends just hours after an argument at a party.

David Noble, 19, stormed home to his parents' house after the disagreement on June 21, but disappeared a short time later.

The painter was missing overnight and police searched the local area as his mum, dad and two sisters and brother waited for news.

But his body was found in a nearby wood by two of his closest friends who had joined in the search the next morning.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death but his parents are still seeking answers.

Last night, David's father Peter paid tribute to the boy who was "as much a mate as a son". Mr Noble, 42, said: "Marie and I are young parents and that makes this hard to take.

"It's like losing your best friend. We'll never know why our boy is dead, but what we do know is he loved his life and had the world in his hands.

"It's a mystery and a true tragedy. He loved everything in his life, his music, his football, his boxing and Kayleigh his girlfriend, who was the love of his life."

Mum Marie said: "He came home drunk from this party on Saturday with blood all over his hands.

"He had been in a scuffle and put his hand through a window, which was totally out of character. Next thing he just ran out the door shouting 'I love you mum, I love you dad,' and that was the last we saw of him.

"It's heartbreaking but we'll never know why he's gone."

Two friends found his body in nearby woods the following day, after joining police and family members on an all-night hunt.

Brother Robert, 21, and sisters Nicola, 20, and Natalie, 13, were said by their parents to be "lost in questions, but not overwhelmed, because they know their brother was true to himself in everything he did".

A qualified painter by trade, David had a string of awards to his name, including a first place in last year's Construction Department Awards for his craft skills.

Friends will wear Arsenal kits at his funeral in Edinburgh on Thursday, as a tribute to his love for football.

A minute's silence was held in his memory at Murrayfield ice rink on Friday night, where David met his girlfriend Kayleigh Patterson.

Since his death, she has paid tribute to him on his Bebo website, saying: "I really miss u babes just wish this was all a bad dream just want u beside me, love you forever babes, gonna miss u so much xxx"

The young couple met while ice skating at Murrayfield last summer and had planned to get married.

Kayleigh, 16, has taken time off from work at a hairdresser to come to terms with David's death.