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

[tes1984]

Trying to nail down some sources for some of the claims made against PH, do we have a solid reference for the ‘semen’ thing? If you Google it you’ll get plenty of hits but nothing I can trace back to any sort of official source.

Good point. All I can find are links to the channel 5 documentary and one of Chris Clark's books!

To confuse matters further, one of the BBC articles about the forensics says Ann was murdered in the garden, and not the house.

 

[rvlvr]

Maybe some divorce law experts can chime in, but I would have thought she would have been due a sizeable settlement, regardless of marriage length or children.

We don't know if either of them wanted a divorce, but we do know that PH was having a secret affair for quite a while.

If Ann found out about the affair, then I reckon there's a good chance she would have demanded a divorce. It doesn't seem like she confronted her husband about anything that lunchtime though, as she was cheerful on the phone to her friend at 2.30pm. You never know though.

I suppose it’d be interesting to know how PH’s divorce played out. That marriage broke down, as I understand it, because of PH’s infidelity (with Ann). He was obviously doing well for himself prior to meeting Ann because - again AIUI - he owned Aeolian House at that time.

Presumably his first wife got a decent settlement as the ‘home builder’, raising the kids while he did well for himself in the haulage game. But it doesn’t seem to have had a detrimental impact on his life given he and Ann apparently enjoyed a very comfortable life together, with regular foreign holidays and so on.

No doubt if Ann had found out about PH’s affair it might’ve proven terminal for their marriage but - JMO - the impression I get from the various family members is that she wasn’t aware, and that from his POV it was just a fling rather than anything serious.

I think the failure to establish a motive is really the biggest stumbling block here. Of course, establishing a motive isn’t necessary to successfully prosecute someone of a crime, but it definitely helps.

 

[rvlvr]

Good point. All I can find are links to the channel 5 documentary and one of Chris Clark's books!

To confuse matters further, one of the BBC articles about the forensics says Ann was murdered in the garden, and not the house.

I feel like there’s a bit of a circular economy thing at play with a lot of cases like these - someone writes a blogpost or Wiki page citing an old documentary or book, which make claims that are perhaps difficult to verify. These posts/pages become the basis of true crime ‘churnalism’, and these articles then provide source material for newer blogposts and maybe an updated Wiki page. And all the while these posts and articles are being shared as gospel across forums and social media.

 

[dotr]

Rbbm.
01/08/2025

https://www.durham.police.uk/news/durham/news2/2025/08.-august/fresh-appeal-following-murder-of-ann-heron-35-years-ago/

''Detectives are continuing to appeal for information ahead of the 35th anniversary of the murder of Ann Heron who was killed in her Darlington home.

The mother-of-three had been sunbathing in her garden at Aeolian House, on the A67, on the afternoon of Friday, August 3, 1990.
However, at around 6pm that evening, the 44-year-old’s body was discovered in her living room lying in a pool of blood.

Despite an extensive police investigation, which spanned several years and has been subject to significant review, her killer has never been found.

Detectives are continuing to use advances in forensic technology as part of their review of the case, but they are still keen to hear from anyone who might know something but never reported it.''

''Information can be reported to Durham Constabulary via 101, anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via https://mipp.police.uk/operation/11HQ020101X43-PO1''
2002
3rd August 2002

DNA advances may help bring killer to justice

DETECTIVES investigating one of the region's longest-running murder inquiries are hopeful that DNA advances will help find the killer.

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

'Her throat had been slashed in what was believed to be a sexually-motivated attack.'

''Police still believe a sun-tanned man, aged 35 to 40, who was seen driving a blue car along the drive of the house at about 5pm, when Mrs Heron is thought to have been killed, could hold the key to the mystery.''

* The other unsolved murder case is that of May Rebecca Thompson, 18, of Low Spennymoor, who was found dead in a pool of blood at her home in February 1952.''

 

[Bethan]

Just a reminder of my post #164 from 3 years ago.

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

This disturbing incident happened very close to home for me, alongside the River Swale at Catterick Bridge, North Yorkshire.
A lone female hiker attacked by a ( presumed) male perpetrator & left for dead with very severe & life-changing head injuries. Her clothing was left in disarray, suggestive of a sexual motive.

The attack of Jo Chandler happened in North Yorkshire & that of Ann Heron in County Durham, HOWEVER these were only 15 miles and 23 days apart.

Lone women, broad daylight, not far from a road with traffic, clothing in disarray, possible male perpetrator seen nearby.

As a woman living, working & raising a family in this precise area, I can tell you that crimes of this nature were very unusual/alarming & I’ve always wondered if it could have been the same perpetrator, though I’ve never seen them linked & this surely would have been investigated.

Neither crime has been solved.

[ Edited to correct an error]

 

[rvlvr]

Police still believe a sun-tanned man, aged 35 to 40, who was seen driving a blue car along the drive of the house at about 5pm, when Mrs Heron is thought to have been killed, could hold the key to the mystery.

It’s interesting police were still talking about the blue car in 2002, just a few years before they arrested PH. It does seem like police pursued this lead pretty thoroughly but it was clearly still nagging at them well over a decade after the crime, and today we still can’t really explain the sightings of this vehicle, in that location, around the time that police believe Ann was killed. I do believe in coincidences but this would be quite a big one, to put it mildly.

 

[rvlvr]

Just a reminder of my post #164 from 3 years ago.

I was sure I’d seen the Jo Chandler case mentioned on this thread, thanks for the reminder. Interesting in your original post you mentioned a man from Darlington being arrested. There were a lot of very dangerous men kicking about the town back in the late 80s, and early 90s.

 

[rvlvr]

Also interesting that in ‘02 police apparently still believed the crime to be sexually motivated?

I was reading earlier about the recent arrest of an Australian man for the 1991 murder of his wife.

Melinda Freeman, 27, was found dead in her home in Whittlesea, north-east of Melbourne, in October 1991.

Detectives said she had been assaulted and that the house appeared to have been ransacked.

Melinda Freeman had an infant son at the time of her death.

Police had previously said they were investigating whether the ransacking of her house and apparent burglary on the night of her alleged murder may have been staged.

Husband charged with murder over 1991 death of Melinda Freeman

Police say 63-year-old Craig Freeman has been charged with murder over the death of Whittlesea woman Melinda Freeman in 1991.

www.abc.net.au

You’d think that if Ann’s killer had a decent chunk of time in which to murder her then he may also have spent some time staging the scene, but I think police are generally pretty good at spotting this kind of thing and perhaps her killer shared the same view.

 

[ctaylor]

Of interest, another case featured in the same episode of Crimewatch UK.

On 29th August 1990 a lone female hiker, Jo Chandler was attacked & left for dead, by the River Swale near Catterick Bridge. Her age was not stated but from the reconstruction shown I would guess she was perhaps 40 & a tall slim lady.

She was viciously struck with a rock & suffered life-altering head injuries, confined to a wheelchair & eventually died from seizures, which were caused by the severe head injury.

Her attacker was thought to be male & a stranger to her.

Her case was mentioned again on Crimewatch UK in March ‘91 to say a kitchen porter from Darlington had been arrested & charged with her attempted murder however I can find no further “official”reference to this suspect/charge ( other than a comment following an article in a feminist blog from a reader who obviously knew Jo Chandler & said no-one had been brought to justice for this crime)

I have found a couple of articles in newspaper archives about Josephine Chandler and have quoted your older post @Bethan

First article from The Northern Echo of 5 February 1992 covering the trial and giving more details on the attack and second article from The Western Daily Press of 12 February 1992, after Darren Nichol was cleared.

 

[Spoof]

I

I have a hunch that an escaped prisoner probably wouldn't be hanging about in the family area but you never know. The police have ruled this man out. As far as I can tell from your podcast appearances and interviews, this seems to the case that you hang your hat on as some sort of result, but it's not solved. No harm to you at all Jen but you a verified expert on Websleuths. Under your name it says "Verified Expert Cold Case Investigator" which would lead us to believe you have solved cold cases? Which ones?

I'm with you on this. I'm struggling to see, not just how Benson can be a suspect, but why people keep repeating it despite the police saying he has nothing to do with it. Surely the police have more insight than anyone else with regards to the case?

 

[Spoof]

I feel like there’s a bit of a circular economy thing at play with a lot of cases like these - someone writes a blogpost or Wiki page citing an old documentary or book, which make claims that are perhaps difficult to verify. These posts/pages become the basis of true crime ‘churnalism’, and these articles then provide source material for newer blogposts and maybe an updated Wiki page. And all the while these posts and articles are being shared as gospel across forums and social media.

It seems wrong that people can just randomly quote someone as being a suspect, keep saying it and then get other people to give it value simply because its in the public domain?

 

[Spoof]

my own view only here...

i've never seen any claim that Jen Jarvie is an independant investigator - this would certainly explain the apparent bias towards constantly protesting the innocence of Peter Heron

perhaps going at this in a more balanced way could be more productive?

this is no slight on anyone but the investigator does not always come across as having an open mind regarding this case

Good point.

 

[Spoof]

All fair points, but I always think we should start with the presumption of innocence. There’s no evidence, to my knowledge, that PH killed his wife, nor is there any solid evidence of a motive. All we know for sure is that he found his wife murdered in their home, which is an unimaginably awful thing to happen to anyone. The ease with which certain individuals on this forum are happy to accuse people in PH’s position of murder is incomprehensible to me (not to mention probably against the forum’s rules). It takes all sorts, I suppose.

You forget that he was initially charged for the crime and remains the main and only suspect in the murder. Surely this has some degree of merit? And he lied about his whereabouts. There's also reason to suspect that the (second) alibi he had may not be as strong as he claims if the police still see him as the main suspect.

 

[rvlvr]

It seems wrong that people can just randomly quote someone as being a suspect, keep saying it and then get other people to give it value simply because its in the public domain?

If you’re talking about Benson I’m not sure anyone other than Jen has given it value?

You forget that he was initially charged for the crime and remains the main and only suspect in the murder. Surely this has some degree of merit? And he lied about his whereabouts. There's also reason to suspect that the (second) alibi he had may not be as strong as he claims if the police still see him as the main suspect.

What happened after he was charged? I think we’re in ‘no smoke without fire’ territory here, which I don’t have much time for I’m afraid.

 

[Spoof]

If you’re talking about Benson I’m not sure anyone other than Jen has given it value?



What happened after he was charged? I think we’re in ‘no smoke without fire’ territory here, which I don’t have much time for I’m afraid.

I think you're right about Jen, she's the only one putting this theory forward, but other people are giving it more weight than the police are because, for some reason, they think Jen has more insight (or something) than the police.

Re: your "no smoke without fire" comment, again I agree. However, the police (who are not able to put all of their evidence in the public domain) have reason for him to be their only suspect so there is a difference between speculation from the lay person vs the position of the Police who have all of the facts. Therefore, I don't think PH being a suspect is "no smoke without fire" as the Police would never have considered him as a suspect if there wasn't reason for it. We may not know exactly what that/those reasons are, but given that they are the ones behind the investigation, I think the public have to respect their position and acknowledge the implications of this whilst they may not know the reasons behind it.

 

[dotr]

Crimewatch 4th October 1990​

 

[rvlvr]

We do know what evidence existed at the time of PH’s arrest and charge, because it was handed to PH’s legal team, as is commonplace when someone is charged with a crime.

Perhaps police have unearthed more evidence since the charges were dropped, but it seems unlikely. Given the lack of any evidence pertaining to PH’s guilt he rightly remains an innocent man.

 

[tes1984]

If you’re talking about Benson I’m not sure anyone other than Jen has given it value?



What happened after he was charged? I think we’re in ‘no smoke without fire’ territory here, which I don’t have much time for I’m afraid.

I think the police had to discontinue the case against PH after some high level scientific discussions. AFAIK they had to accept that the forensic evidence involving PH could have been at the crime scene for innocent reasons.

 

[tes1984]

'I was the last person to see Ann alive'

Almost 20 years after the Heron murder, a witness tells the Echo what he saw. Chris LLoyd reports

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Article about the witness who knew Ann, and said he saw her driving at 4.15pm.

 

[dotr]

'I was the last person to see Ann alive'

Almost 20 years after the Heron murder, a witness tells the Echo what he saw. Chris LLoyd reports

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Article about the witness who knew Ann, and said he saw her driving at 4.15pm.

What is a parcel shelf and what could the ''distinctive object'' be, that is ''carried by a man well-known in Darlington's nightclub scene?
From link..
"We were 12ft up in the air in the cab, looking down, and on the parcel shelf was a distinctive object."

The witness, who gave a statement to the police in 1990, believes the object was a "trademark"

carried by a man well known in Darlington's nightclub scene.

"It's been niggling with me ever since, which is why I have come forward now," said the witness.''