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

[sl77]

We don't know if he was wearing clothes when he hypothetically committed the murder.

Also, unless there is photographic evidence he was wearing the same clothes I'm not sure anyone can prove that he was.

IMO

Do you honestly think he received oral sex from his wife, returned at 2pm then received a call to a client meeting and thought to himself "oh they timed that well, I can kill Ann on my way there/back"?

And he managed not to leave a trace of blood...

And dispose of the weapon...

Dispose of the duplicate clothing...

And waste his life/time on the case...

And waste his time visiting Ann's grave during his next relationship...

And risk discussing the case in a documentary...

Attach a probability to each event, multiple them together and what do you get? A very small number?

 

[sl77]

I'm also reasonably certain the number of domestic murders with a throat slit is very very small.

As I said earlier, only someone trained or disturbed would slit a throat.

 

[sl77]

If PH was smart enough to kill his wife to/from a client meeting, leaving no blood/weapon why didnt he stage a burglary or something?

He only had to take some jewellery as he left. Dead easy.

 

[Tortoise]

Do you honestly think he received oral sex from his wife, returned at 2pm then received a call to a client meeting and thought to himself "oh they timed that well, I can kill Ann on my way there/back"?

And he managed not to leave a trace of blood...

And dispose of the weapon...

Dispose of the duplicate clothing...

And waste his life/time on the case...

And waste his time visiting Ann's grave during his next relationship...

And risk discussing the case in a documentary...

Attach a probability to each event, multiple them together and what do you get? A very small number?

I don't think it's likely they had intimate relations in the lunch hour. All we know is PH had ejaculated on the carpet, and I think furniture was also mentioned, where Ann was left dead.

I'm not sure where the idea comes from that the meeting was an excuse to think anything, but it created a window of opportunity afterwards in which time Ann was murdered.

If PH managed not to leave a trace of blood, that applies to any killer.

Where does proof of the same clothing come from?

It's easy to wash a knife and/or hide it away from the house/dispose of it.

Why not waste his time on the case and visit Ann's grave if he wants to deflect suspicion? He probably thinks that's what any loving husband would do.

IMO

 

[Tortoise]

If PH was smart enough to kill his wife to/from a client meeting, leaving no blood/weapon why didnt he stage a burglary or something?

He only had to take some jewellery as he left. Dead easy.

Why not stage it as a sexually motivated attack?

 

[Tortoise]

I'm also reasonably certain the number of domestic murders with a throat slit is very very small.

As I said earlier, only someone trained or disturbed would slit a throat.

It's very common. Just google domestic murder stabbed in neck.

Somerset woman guilty of murder after stabbing husband in neck

Christine Kekkonen is convicted of murdering her husband of 15 years at their home.

www.bbc.co.uk

Colchester murder: Man jailed for stabbing wife in 'jealous rage'

Ertan Ersoy is given a life sentence after murdering university academic Dr Antonella Castelvedere.

www.bbc.co.uk

Man, 24, admits murdering wife, 19, after knifing her in neck

Sahil Sharma called police right after attack, saying he killed his wife

www.standard.co.uk

Teacher 'stabbed cheating boyfriend in the neck in chilling domestic execution'

Fiona Beal, from Northampton, appeared in court accused of the murder of her builder boyfriend Nick Billingham - she is said to have dumped his body in a makeshift grave

www.mirror.co.uk

Woman stabbed eight times in her Camden flat, court hears

Jennifer Abbott Dauward - whose sister is accused of her murder - was found dead at her London home.

www.bbc.co.uk

Daniel White strangled and slit wife's throat in their home

Daniel White kicked open his wife's locked door, strangled her and then cut her throat.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wannabe influencer who slit wife's throat was freed to kill by court

Habibur Masum, 26, was yesterday found guilty of murdering wife Kulsuma Akter after she left a women's refuge where she had tried to escape his violent behaviour.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Man who claimed he accidentally cut wife’s throat found guilty of murder

Jury finds Regin Rajan (43) guilty of murdering Deepa Dinamani (38) after deliberating for five hours

www.irishtimes.com

 

[tes1984]

Why not stage it as a sexually motivated attack?

Didn't the killer remove Ann's bikini bottoms? Or force her to remove them?

IMO it suggests either staging, or an attempted rape/sex attack.

 

[Tortoise]

Didn't the killer remove Ann's bikini bottoms? Or force her to remove them?

IMO it suggests either staging, or an attempted rape/sex attack.

Exactly. I'm wondering why he needed to do it differently, commit or stage a robbery as suggested.

 

[Tortoise]

A criminal profiling study conducted in 2019

Similarly, it has been found that, as the aggressor’s age increases, there is a greater tendency to use bladed weapons and blunt objects [32]. Likewise, Khoshnood and Väfors Fritz [33] revealed that perpetrators between the ages of 37 and 59 are associated with non-premeditated-approach methods, thus these homicides tend to be triggered by arguments.

[...]

Finally, it has been shown that in the case of perpetrators who previously knew their victims, there tends to be a greater number and seriousness of injuries [41], with the homicides tending to take place indoors and most often using bladed weapons or blunt objects [32,42]. In addition, they tend to be triggered by an argument [33,43]

[...]

In homicides taking place between couples, the victims tend to be females, aged between 19 and 50, means are commonly used to control the victim, and bladed weapons and blunt objects are most often used [39,44].

Homicide Profiles Based on Crime Scene and Victim Characteristics - PMC

One of the current trends in homicide research includes developing works based on scientific study and empirical evidence, which offer conclusions that can be used in an operational manner during police investigations. The objective of this study ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[tes1984]

Judging from the details this man who was arrested gives here, I think he was likely only brought in and questioned purely because he had owned a blue Fiat car and released the next day.

There were two other arrests though. Those two don't seem to have spoken with the press like the 20 year old did.

 

[sl77]

It's very common. Just google domestic murder stabbed in neck.

Somerset woman guilty of murder after stabbing husband in neck

Christine Kekkonen is convicted of murdering her husband of 15 years at their home.

www.bbc.co.uk

Colchester murder: Man jailed for stabbing wife in 'jealous rage'

Ertan Ersoy is given a life sentence after murdering university academic Dr Antonella Castelvedere.

www.bbc.co.uk

Man, 24, admits murdering wife, 19, after knifing her in neck

Sahil Sharma called police right after attack, saying he killed his wife

www.standard.co.uk

Teacher 'stabbed cheating boyfriend in the neck in chilling domestic execution'

Fiona Beal, from Northampton, appeared in court accused of the murder of her builder boyfriend Nick Billingham - she is said to have dumped his body in a makeshift grave

www.mirror.co.uk

Woman stabbed eight times in her Camden flat, court hears

Jennifer Abbott Dauward - whose sister is accused of her murder - was found dead at her London home.

www.bbc.co.uk

Daniel White strangled and slit wife's throat in their home

Daniel White kicked open his wife's locked door, strangled her and then cut her throat.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wannabe influencer who slit wife's throat was freed to kill by court

Habibur Masum, 26, was yesterday found guilty of murdering wife Kulsuma Akter after she left a women's refuge where she had tried to escape his violent behaviour.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Man who claimed he accidentally cut wife’s throat found guilty of murder

Jury finds Regin Rajan (43) guilty of murdering Deepa Dinamani (38) after deliberating for five hours

www.irishtimes.com

The problem is news/media tend to downgrade/reword the injuries, presumably for the victims' families. For example, Lee Rigby was described as "stabbed" yet in reality he was nearly decapitated.

And there IS a difference between stabbing someone in the neck and slitting their throat.

My understanding is AH had her throat slit (not just stabbed).

And my point is, this is either someone trained, someone psychotic or, as your articles show.... someone from a certain culture. Given it was 1990 and Darlington we can probably exclude the latter.

So, I think someone trained, or a psychotic. More likely the latter.

My hunch is the letters are genuine (who else would be thinking about AH after 4 years?), another sign suggesting a psychotic.

 

[tes1984]

The letters sent from Darlington are interesting. It's not unknown for weirdos or fantasists to write fake letters years after notorious murders though.

In the Millie Dowler case there was a sex offender writing letters to the family from his prison cell (3 years after the murder). The prison service apologised for not screening his mail.

 

[sl77]

The letters sent from Darlington are interesting. It's not unknown for weirdos or fantasists to write fake letters years after notorious murders though.

In the Millie Dowler case there was a sex offender writing letters to the family from his prison cell (3 years after the murder). The prison service apologised for not screening his mail.

I understand.

I heard/read that one of the letters mentioned detail that had not been publicly revealed. This is why the police took them seriously.

 

[ctaylor]

I also noticed this from the newspaper archives from The Northern Echo in October 1990. It mentions that police were taking a gamble in releasing tapes of these anonymous phone calls. Were they ever played on television for the public to hear? Don't remember them being played in the Channel 5 documentary.

 

[tes1984]

I understand.

I heard/read that one of the letters mentioned detail that had not been publicly revealed. This is why the police took them seriously.

There's a statement from the lead officer in 1994, where he says he's convinced the letter writer is the killer.

In 1994, the police took handwriting samples from forty POIs including PH.

Fast forward a decade or so to 2005 and PH is arrested on suspicion of murder.

Did the police in 2005 still think the letter writer was the killer?

Or were they no longer convinced that the letters were genuine?

 

[tes1984]

I also noticed this from the newspaper archives from The Northern Echo in October 1990. It mentions that police were taking a gamble in releasing tapes of these anonymous phone calls. Were they ever played on television for the public to hear? Don't remember them being played in the Channel 5 documentary.

The calls were described as the key to the whole case.

Yet I can't see how they fit into either the police theory (PH did it) or the JJ theory (MB did it).

 

[tes1984]

There are lots of vehicles of interest in this case.

The blue car speeding away (not sure the make has ever really been confirmed).
A blue van parked up with 3 men in it.
A silver car parked up and lights seen flashing.
A red car nearby, possibly a Vauxhall Astra.

Possible taxi link too. A local taxi cab boss said all his staff were interviewed.

 

[tes1984]

Had a look on newspaper archive and found an article from The Northern Echo dated 20 April 1991 about three men who were arrested but all quickly released. Judging from the details this man who was arrested gives here, I think he was likely only brought in and questioned purely because he had owned a blue Fiat car and released the next day.

They questioned another suspect for almost 24 hours, so (unless it was a ridiculously long voluntary interview) there have been at least 5 suspects arrested including PH.

 

[sl77]

I also noticed this from the newspaper archives from The Northern Echo in October 1990. It mentions that police were taking a gamble in releasing tapes of these anonymous phone calls. Were they ever played on television for the public to hear? Don't remember them being played in the Channel 5 documentary.

I completely forgot about that phone call.

 

[Jen Jarvie]

@sl77 There is just an assumption of a Stanley knife that the press gave as an indication of the type of blade, (very sharp) no one knows if it was a knife, scaple, Stanley knife or box cutter, but as you mentioned, all are readily available even in 1990 by anyone.
The sperm found in Ann was one spermatozoon, just one, so unlikely to have been administered as suggested by oral sex. In my experience, no one just excretes just one!!!
Benson committed several crimes; none was armed robbery, but robbery with a carving knife, attempted murder and several instances of burglary and theft- all of which, when researched, do indicate a similar link. There is a lot that is not in the public domain about this too.
Peter has maintained his innocence for nearly 35 years and his predominant wish is for the killer of Ann to be found and that as a result of which, his name will be cleared of suspicion. Peter Heron has an alibi for the whole afternoon from 2pm - 6pm, which includes off-duty police officer and people he met and engaged with.