UK UK - Ann Heron, 44, found at home with throat cut, Darlington, 3 August 1990

[WiseOwl]

I've just read all 17 pages.

@Jen Jarvie, thank you for contributing. <modsnip> And I thought it was a Stanley knife, not a box cutter. Either way, both of these must be very common tools! And their insistence there won't be a single microscopic trace of sperm down someone's throat simply because it was a warm day and they may have drunk fluids after... I'm pretty certain there'd still be some trace amount. Although I do find it interesting if that was the only part of the house with sperm on the floor.

However, I must agree I don't see any evidence whatsoever pointing to Benson. Stabbing a woman in the neck isn't remotely similar to committing armed robbery (and there wasn't even a burglary here). This is more like a Robert Napper type of behaviour. And as @tes1984 mentioned, an escaped convict isn't go to send letters taunting police etc.

I think PH has acted very odd but... I just don't see him stabbing his wife in the neck and then spending all his life "campaigning" for his name to be cleared. If he did do it, he won, so get on with your life? So that makes me think he's probably more likely to be innocent.

I don't see some random killer driving up to the house, in full view of the main road, to murder someone. So I've no idea what to make of the witnessed cars.

Most interesting thing for me would be if PH sat a lie detector test. I know it's not admissible evidence, but it'd still be interesting...

So... what on earth did happen?

I think it's something similar to the Chillenden Murders (no, Stone didn't do it). Random, no sexual motivation but extremely violent.

It's good to have a new poster on this thread, some interesting points too!

It was good to have Jen Jarvie on the thread as well, i appreciated her input. However, the only issue i had with her is that when i asked some of the more probing questions she did not come back with an answer. Things like:

Why did PH originally lie to the police about his journey home, and at what point did he change his story?

Who were the witnesses who saw him driving home via the village of Croft that day and exactly where did they see him? (According to JJ there were several).

There was supposedly a blue car seen speeding down the drive from Aeolian Hose around 5.00 that afternoon. However, there is two witness sightings that was recorded, one saying the car turned left towards Middleton St George, the other saying it turned right towards Cleveland Bridge. So which one was it? A car doesn't split into two once it reaches the junction!

Disappointingly i had no reply to these questions.

 

[sl77]

It's good to have a new poster on this thread, some interesting points too!

It was good to have Jen Jarvie on the thread as well, i appreciated her input. However, the only issue i had with her is that when i asked some of the more probing questions she did not come back with an answer. Things like:

Why did PH originally lie to the police about his journey home, and at what point did he change his story?

Who were the witnesses who saw him driving home via the village of Croft that day and exactly where did they see him? (According to JJ there were several).

There was supposedly a blue car seen speeding down the drive from Aeolian Hose around 5.00 that afternoon. However, there is two witness sightings that was recorded, one saying the car turned left towards Middleton St George, the other saying it turned right towards Cleveland Bridge. So which one was it? A car doesn't split into two once it reaches the junction!

Disappointingly i had no reply to these questions.

There's literally no evidence of Benson being 60 miles away from home. However, I'm also willing to (play) bet it wasn't PH.

The letters have not been mentioned here much?

I understand police said the letters contained details only the killer would know?

There is 0% chance PH wrote letters after going through so much scrutiny.

It wasn't PH. I reckon an unknown serial killer. Any similar local cases with slashes to the neck?

 

[dotr]

10 Nov 2005

Husband arrested in 1990 murder investigation

The 70-year-old husband of a woman found 15 years ago with her throat cut as she sunbathed in the garden of their country mansion was arrested yesterday on suspicion of her murder.

www.theguardian.com

''Police had retained more than 1,500 items from the scene at Aeolian House, in Middleton St George, near Darlington, confident that scientific advances would eventually link them to the killer of Ann Heron.''
2018

The potato knife killer who slit an unsuspecting woman's throat

The horrific murder of Margaret Wilson shocked the country

www.hulldailymail.co.uk

''Margaret Wilson, 66, was brutally murdered in a random attack when her throat was slit down a country lane in February 1995.''

 

[WiseOwl]

There's literally no evidence of Benson being 60 miles away from home. However, I'm also willing to (play) bet it wasn't PH.

The letters have not been mentioned here much?

I understand police said the letters contained details only the killer would know?

There is 0% chance PH wrote letters after going through so much scrutiny.

It wasn't PH. I reckon an unknown serial killer. Any similar local cases with slashes to the neck?

An unknown serial killer? How many killings were there in the Darlington area by person or persons unknown in the early 1990's then?

 

[sl77]

An unknown serial killer? How many killings were there in the Darlington area by person or persons unknown in the early 1990's then?

Why does it only have to be Darlington?

And why only early 90s? The person waited nearly half a decade to write letters. They thought about their kill for years.

If the murderer did the letters, it was a very unwell individual.

 

[dotr]

Letter puts escaped prisoner in frame for Ann Heron's murder — not her husband

OLD and frail, 86-year-old Peter Heron has just one wish left in life – to finally end the suspicion that he is a killer. For the past 30 years the story that he murdered his second wife has hung o…

www.thesun.co.uk

Someone claiming to be 'The Killer' sent sick, taunting letters to police, Ann’s family and a local paperCredit: NNP

 

[tes1984]

Serious Zodiac Killer vibes in that letter.

I can't make out the content at the end of the top line (after "it's me Ann Herons Killer")...

 

[CSIAngus]

Letter puts escaped prisoner in frame for Ann Heron's murder — not her husband

OLD and frail, 86-year-old Peter Heron has just one wish left in life – to finally end the suspicion that he is a killer. For the past 30 years the story that he murdered his second wife has hung o…

www.thesun.co.uk

Someone claiming to be 'The Killer' sent sick, taunting letters to police, Ann’s family and a local paperCredit: NNPView attachment 597000

That doesn't look like natural writing to me. It looks more like someone trying to hide their natural style. I doubt this person is 'The Killer'. More like a morbid freak inserting themselves.

 

[CSIAngus]

I seem to remember that a registered expert on this forum close to PH was going to do a major reveal on this case about 15 months ago. We're still waiting. I think PH is guilty on exactly the basis that he was arrested, Durham Constabulary just didn't have enough evidence to take it over the line and are not looking at any other suspect. Some may disagree, but let's stay civil. MOO

 

[sl77]

That doesn't look like natural writing to me. It looks more like someone trying to hide their natural style. I doubt this person is 'The Killer'. More like a morbid freak inserting themselves.

I believe one of the letters mentioned details only known to the killer/not released to the public?

If so, PH isn't the killer.

You don't kill your wife, deny it, get accused and then write letters 4 years later and instigate a documentary 32 years later.

 

[tes1984]

I believe one of the letters mentioned details only known to the killer/not released to the public?

The police certainly took the 1994 letters seriously. I'm not sure about unreleased details, but the police did say that the letter writer had local knowledge.

A handwriting expert said that the letter writer was trying to appear less intelligent than he really was.

 

[tes1984]

There were quite a few other communications earlier in the enquiry.

The police don't seem to have ever 'ruled out' an earlier letter in 1990, or a series of phone calls that same year.

They were also looking for a blue van, which was seen parked by the house between 5 and 6pm. The later focus seemed to shift towards a blue car though, so perhaps the van was ruled out at some point.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

This is one I'd love to see solved.

For me, I struggle with a few things in particular.. the unnatural route and the inconsistancy of statements about it.

The timings and inconsistancies of the meeting start/end times

The Semen in AH's throat.

The desire for AH to return North.

The fact that Police are not looking at any other suspects.


I think PH is guilty of the physical murder of AH , or the contracting of it in another's hands.

I do wish JJ would update if possible but I feel it was quite a civil scepticism she faced and maybe Team PH has decided that the ongoing stasis is a pretty decent outcome for PH after all.

Imho only.

 

[tes1984]

This is one I'd love to see solved.

Definitely, but it's going to be almost impossible without a confession, or another forensic review uncovering something.

For me, I struggle with a few things in particular.. the unnatural route and the inconsistancy of statements about it.

The timings and inconsistancies of the meeting start/end times

The Semen in AH's throat.

The desire for AH to return North.

Agree with all this. I also find PH's behaviour very bizarre (highly suspicious) after the murder.

The fact that Police are not looking at any other suspects.

Often the case when police have a prime suspect, but can't get the case to court.

I think PH is guilty of the physical murder of AH , or the contracting of it in another's hands.

Quite possibly, but the pack of third party forensics (from a hitman, or a random lunatic) is very strange. Over 1500 exhibits analysed with no foreign DNA etc.

I do wish JJ would update if possible but I feel it was quite a civil scepticism she faced and maybe Team PH has decided that the ongoing stasis is a pretty decent outcome for PH after all.

Imho only.

An update would be nice. I didn't ever feel that the 'defence' ever really plotted out the timeline, in an easy to follow way.

 

[sl77]

@Spy Versus Spy @tes1984

I do understand the points about PH's behaviour, but..... there's no way he wrote letters to the police.

So if the letters were from the killer, it wasn't PH. Would you agree?

(I doubt PH hired a hitman and years later he decided to write letters)

 

[tes1984]

I do understand the points about PH's behaviour, but..... there's no way he wrote letters to the police.

He did write a formal letter to the police demanding an apology.

I'd be surprised if he wrote any of the letters of interest, although stranger things have happened so I wouldn't completely rule it out.

The police checked PH's handwriting. Not sure if that was part of the 'evidence' in the later (failed) case against him.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

Im always sceptical about letters, esp in UK cases. I guess it stems from the Sutcliffe/Y Ripper misdirection.

U.S cases, rather less so. Was it G Ridgeway couldnt help but reignite contact? (May be mistaken!)

Id have to look a little more closely at the correspondence in this case as, tbh, Im not really aware of the relevance/fact of these

 

[sl77]

He did write a formal letter to the police demanding an apology.

I meant if PH killed his wife, there's no way he would write anonymous confession letters 4 years later. It would be a completely stupid thing to do.

And given the police dropped the case, you don't try and get your day in court IF you did actually do it. Waaaaaaay too much risk.

And then get a documentary produced, 32 years later, so people like myself are now aware of the case.

Yes he did some weird things, but I consider the above would be even weirder.

 

[WiseOwl]

I meant if PH killed his wife, there's no way he would write anonymous confession letters 4 years later. It would be a completely stupid thing to do.

And given the police dropped the case, you don't try and get your day in court IF you did actually do it. Waaaaaaay too much risk.

And then get a documentary produced, 32 years later, so people like myself are now aware of the case.

Yes he did some weird things, but I consider the above would be even weirder.

Where did you get the information from that PH instigated the Channel 5 documentary about Ann's murder?

 

[sl77]

Where did you get the information from that PH instigated the Channel 5 documentary about Ann's murder?

When reading JJ's earlier posts, I got the impression PH, JJ and the documentary producers were working together, closer than just a witness appearing on a documentary.

However, I could be completely wrong.