Frustrated, they approached the foreign office who contacted the consulate in Istanbul and informed them that any further action would need to be taken by the police. As the family was now unable to rely upon any authority to assist them they were now forced to mount their own investigation.

Two members of the family flew to Turkey while others remained in London to exert pressure there. Although the Turkish authorities were unhelpful, within days the family had located Edgar's belongings and medication in the hotel room and had a description of the person who was last seen with Edgar. This was immediately reported to Kentish Town police station, who still maintained that Edgar must have run away from home.

Meanwhile the traumatic search for Edgar continued. They researched all the hospitals and institutions in Turkey. On 8 May 1998 two members of the family were looking at pictures of dead bodies in the morgue. Depressingly one of the photographs was of Edgar's body.

The family continued with their investigation and located the chief suspect in Malta. In an impressive and unprecedented feat they managed to galvanise the Maltese authorities to arrest the man. He initially confessed to the murder of Edgar Fernandes, though later changed his story. After the family approached the NCRM, the Metropolitan Police began to work more seriously on the case. The trial of the man suspected of killing Edgar began in Turkey in February 2000.