AcbMurders
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An incredible cold case might have been solved: murder suspect fled abroad hiding behind a dead man’s identity for nearly 40 years!
The identity of his killer remained a mystery until a cold case review in 2013 when a fingerprint was linked to Paul Bryan, the Old Bailey heard.
However, the suspect appeared to have "disappeared", jurors were told.
An officer eventually tracked him down after discovering Bryan had stolen the identity of a dead man with the same name, the court heard.
Following his arrest at Stansted Airport last year Bryan, now 62, admitted having a false identity document but denied the murder of Mr Szalajko.
Opening his trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Louis Mably KC said the Polish victim was a longstanding UK resident.
www.mylondon.news
Prosecutor Louis Mably KC told thow divorcee and dad-of-two Roman had been stabbed in the stomach whilst on the phone to a friend who overheard him shouting 'Help, help' before the line was cut by the attacker.
He also gave some context about Roman's 'secretive' background as a financial advisor to a wealthy widower, whose son-in-law he was in a 'falling out with' over money and a power-of-attorney agreement he did not want to her to sign.
Mr Mably said this, and taking bribes to ensure another man remained her builder, were part of "slightly murky financial dealings" in the Polish community at the time. He also noted Roman kept large amounts of cash in the flat and his wallet.
![www.bbc.co.uk](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fichef.bbci.co.uk%2Fnews%2F1024%2Fbranded_news%2F9FBB%2Fproduction%2F_131519804_b3d84c150a127119b6aafebc6e5b7a8d.jpg&hash=84b0a24d65893d9a234b9d35de0b1a09&return_error=1)
Murder suspect hid for 39 years using dead man's identity, court told
Paul Bryan is standing trial for the murder of Roman Szalajko who was fatally stabbed in 1984.
www.bbc.co.uk
However, the suspect appeared to have "disappeared", jurors were told.
An officer eventually tracked him down after discovering Bryan had stolen the identity of a dead man with the same name, the court heard.
Following his arrest at Stansted Airport last year Bryan, now 62, admitted having a false identity document but denied the murder of Mr Szalajko.
Opening his trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Louis Mably KC said the Polish victim was a longstanding UK resident.
![www.mylondon.news](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi2-prod.mylondon.news%2Fincoming%2Farticle25586741.ece%2FALTERNATES%2Fs1200%2F1_NRM66-22-Roman-Szalajko.jpg&hash=af4d0ef374131edc1933e885f0f0e5f8&return_error=1)
Man in court accused of stabbing 62-year-old to death after nearly 40 years
Roman Szalajko died in South London on February 7, 1984, but the cold case has remained a mystery for decades
He also gave some context about Roman's 'secretive' background as a financial advisor to a wealthy widower, whose son-in-law he was in a 'falling out with' over money and a power-of-attorney agreement he did not want to her to sign.
Mr Mably said this, and taking bribes to ensure another man remained her builder, were part of "slightly murky financial dealings" in the Polish community at the time. He also noted Roman kept large amounts of cash in the flat and his wallet.
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