Alfred Swinscoe, 54, was last seen drinking at the Miners Arms pub in Pinxton, Nottinghamshire, in January 1967.
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He had given his son money to buy a round of drinks before popping outside to use the toilet.
Tragically he was never seen alive again – sparking decades of agony for his family as they sought to discover what happened to Alfred.
His remains were found more than 50 years later in April this year in Sutton-in-Ashfield where digging work was being carried out.
Police believe Alfred was murdered then buried in farmland around 4ft to 6ft deep.
They have now issued a fresh appeal for information and revealed traumatic injuries were found on the dad’s skeleton.
Tests are ongoing to establish how Alfred died, with his murder the focus of a BBC Crimewatch appeal.
Detective Inspector Mel Crutchley, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are determined to find out what happened to Alfred and provide his family with the closure they desperately need.
“His killer left them with decades of unanswered questions about what happened to their loved one.
“We have been following several lines of inquiry since identifying the human remains as Alfred Swinscoe but we really need the public’s help due to the amount of time that has passed since the murder and his body being found.”
Alfred worked at Langton Colliery from the age of 14 and operated a coal-cutting machine.
He was known as the “Champion Pigeon Man of Pinxton” due to his love of pigeon racing.
Four of Alfred’s six children are still alive and desperate for answers.
DI Crutchley says police are now trying to piece together a timeline from the night he vanished in a bid to solve the cold case.
She said: “We know that his killer or killers would have driven to the Coxmoor Lane site by vehicle. This is significant as in 1967 not many people had access to a car in the Pinxton community.
“We have spoken to a number of people who knew Alfred to build up a picture of his life before he died.
“However, after the colliery closed, we know many people will have left Pinxton and moved to other parts of the country and even overseas.
“These are the people we need to speak to who may have the vital information we need.”
Anyone who lived in Pinxton around the time Alfred disappeared on January 20, 1967, has been asked to get in touch.
They can call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 quoting Operation Hiatus.
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