Former BBC DJ Michael Willis Found Dead at 79

Michael Willis, a former BBC Radio 1 DJ and convicted paedophile who changed his name to David Evans, has been found dead at the age of 79 after falling into a river. Willis, who had served an 18-month prison sentence for possessing indecent images of children, went missing in December after being last seen taking a water taxi to his yacht in Dartmouth, Devon. His unlocked boat and belongings were discovered the following morning, leading to a search by the RNLI and coastguard. On January 20, a body was found half a mile down the river and confirmed to be Willis. There were no suspicious circumstances reported, and the cause of death remains unascertained. Willis was known for his past association with Jimmy Savile and his career as a DJ under the stage name Steve Merike.