UK UK - Suzy Lamplugh, 25, Fulham, 28 Jul 1986 #5

[Cherwell]

However, if the perpetrator had a bag, it would have (as I would) put this partially under drivers seat. To exit, move the seat back to access the bag.

I wouldn't. I'd put it on the passenger seat, assuming there was no passenger. If there was, I'd sling it on the back seat.

 

[Salah11]

How do we know the seat wasn’t moved to put Suzy down behind the seats so a body wouldn’t be seen?

There are more reasons than just being a tall man imo

 

[RichardKimble]

How do we know the seat wasn’t moved to put Suzy down behind the seats so a body wouldn’t be seen?

There are more reasons than just being a tall man imo

Indeed, I can envisaged the seat being pushed back to get a reluctant driver out.

 

[WestLondoner]

The difficulty with these scenarios is that the seat would have had to be pushed forward again to get her out, then pushed back again afterwards. Likewise why would an abductor who wasn't driving bother to lock the passenger door?

Moving the Fiesta driver's seat back required reaching down between your knees to pull up a bar lever, then pushing the seat back. Quite a faff if doing it from one side when there's someone in it.

 

[Cherwell]

Moving the Fiesta driver's seat back required reaching down between your knees to pull up a bar lever, then pushing the seat back. Quite a faff if doing it from one side when there's someone in it.

I agree. It's designed to be operated while sitting in the driver's seat. Very awkward to do from any other position.

 

[RichardKimble]

We can one supposes all come up with a scenario, if you go with the ,when, how and why, the the first is set in stone with the date, the how, even JD as never expanded on that and can't with the CPS telling us no link between the main suspect and SJL, the why ? sex, drugs or money, compendium of all 3 ?

 

[Cherwell]

As for the how, I don't doubt that she went wherever she went willingly, with someone she knew. So there was nothing to attract attention, nothing that would have looked like an abduction, nothing violent.

 

[Pinkizzy]

I guess the abductor's hand print was on the car door when he shut it. Now its too late to check the prints imo

 

[shadwell]

I guess the abductor's hand print was on the car door when he shut it. Now its too late to check the prints imo

IIRC (from the AS book, I think) the car was checked for prints at the time - the only unknown being a single print on the passenger side of the windscreen (7" in from the door pillar?) - not stated if it was on the inside or outside. I'd need to check so MOO for now.

 

[Jenesaisquoi]

IIRC (from the AS book, I think) the car was checked for prints at the time - the only unknown being a single print on the passenger side of the windscreen (7" in from the door pillar?) - not stated if it was on the inside or outside. I'd need to check so MOO for now.

Could dna be gotten from the lifted print? If the original evidence is still available or would it just be stored as a photograph or digital file?

 

[Terryb808]

Could dna be gotten from the lifted print? If the original evidence is still available or would it just be stored as a photograph or digital file?

Sadly, many cases from this period didn’t have the exhibits and evidence stored properly, and this prevents more up to date forensics from being carried out.
In this particular case the police announced they were not looking for anyone else, they have Hohn Cannan firmly in the frame for this.

 

[WestLondoner]

The print is clearly not Cannan's, is it? It's funny. For a man whose figurative fingerprints are all over this case according to the Met, there's no actual fingerprint evidence linking him to it where there ought to be. Not in SJL's car, not at 37SR. Sure he could wear gloves, but how's he going to walk around viewing a house with her wearing gloves?

 

[RichardKimble]

So Cannan as we know is prime suspect, but why did the MET announce his name to the press thus (JD confirms this) denying him a fair trial because of the publicity.

 

[RichardKimble]

The print is clearly not Cannan's, is it? It's funny. For a man whose figurative fingerprints are all over this case according to the Met, there's no actual fingerprint evidence linking him to it where there ought to be. Not in SJL's car, not at 37SR. Sure he could wear gloves, but how's he going to walk around viewing a house with her wearing gloves?

If the print was not identified to another employee of the estate agents then that leaves another unidentified party, which would one suppose rule out the "railway killers".

 

[Terryb808]

If the print was not identified to another employee of the estate agents then that leaves another unidentified party, which would one suppose rule out the "railway killers".

Okay, not their MO, but they were experimenting at the time. According to general info, they were certainly capable of abducting someone in broad daylight without a fuss.
Didn’t one of them own a motorcycle and work as a bike currier for a time? Also, one of the has an uncanny resemblance to the taxi drivers James Galway man.

 

[Pinkizzy]

IIRC (from the AS book, I think) the car was checked for prints at the time - the only unknown being a single print on the passenger side of the windscreen (7" in from the door pillar?) - not stated if it was on the inside or outside. I'd need to check so MOO for now.

There was a smudged print on the the rear view mirror too imo. I guess a photo of the dusted print was taken...

 

[shadwell]

If a crime remains unsolved after nearly 40 years, it was probably an organised crime group hit imo

Heh. Well, the 80s London property boom was ideal for money laundering - we know that plenty of the Brinks Mat cash went into it. Maybe the mystery Bristol businessman was actually John Palmer?

Palmer was arrested on his return to the UK on 2nd July 1986 from Spain via Brazil - I’m struggling to find out if he was held on remand between then and his trial in 1987 (I would have thought so, given the potential flight risk), but he would still have been sporting a decent tan at the end of July and from everything I’ve read exactly the sort of man to whom SL would likely have been attracted.

 

[shadwell]

Maybe the signet ring wedged in the dashboard was “Goldfinger” Palmer’s calling card?

 

[Pinkizzy]

Maybe the signet ring wedged in the dashboard was “Goldfinger” Palmer’s calling card?

View attachment 414038

How tall is John Palmer?

 

[WestLondoner]

Is that a signet ring or the thing you pull to release the bonnet?