UK UK- Dr Michael Meenaghan, 33, lecturer @ Oxford University’s Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, fatally shot @ home, Blackbird Leys, 10 Dec. 1994

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£20,000 offered in Blackbird Leys murder case from 20 years ago

A £20,000 reward is being offered for information about the murder of research scientist Michael Meenaghan shot through his kitchen window 20 years…

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

''Dr Michael Meenaghan was a lecturer at Oxford University’s Sir William Dunn School of Pathology when he was killed on December 10, 1994.

The 33-year-old’s murderer has never been caught and his mother Pat Meenaghan, 82, said: “It is now 20 years since Michael, my only child, was murdered. His death is always with me and there is not a day goes by when I don’t misshim.


“We still don't know why someone would be so callous as to take his life and rob the world of a lovely man and a gifted scientist. Twenty years is a long time to wait for answers.

“There must be people out there that know something and could help ease the stress of not knowing why this happened to my boy.

"I would ask that people who do know something, search their conscience and make contact with the police.”


Principal investigator Peter Beirne, from the Major Crime Investigation Review Team, said: “Today on the anniversary of Michael’s death I am appealing to anyone who has any information about the offender, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, to come forward and speak to the police.

“Possible motives explored over the years have suggested links to Dr Meenaghan’s private life, or to his work, or to a case of mistaken identity. However there has been a lack of evidence leading to any conclusive motive and we have to keep an open mind as to what that is.

“If you know the identity of the offender or have any information that you think may assist please call us.”

Now Crimestoppers and Thames Valley Police have each offered £10,000 to anyone who can help solve the 20-year-old crime.

Our top stories

Dr Meenaghan was shot at 4.30pm at his home in Monks Close, Blackbird Leys, and despite dialling 999 he died of massive chest injuries before the police reached him.


Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555111, or via a secure online form which can be found on the website crimestoppers-uk.org

Only information given to Crimestoppers will be eligible for the charity’s portion of the reward. ''

The murder has been covered by cold case unit, the Major Crime Investigations Review Team. You can read our story on their work, including Dr Meenaghan's murder, here.

 

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rbbm.

Death of Dr. Michael Meenaghan - Wikiwand

Dr. Michael "Spike" Meenaghan was a forensic scientist at Oxford University who was shot dead through his kitchen window on 10 December 1994. He was a lecturer ...

www.wikiwand.com

''Dr. Michael "Spike" Meenaghan was a forensic scientist at Oxford University who was shot dead through his kitchen window on 10 December 1994. He was a lecturer at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology.

Michael Meenaghan
Born	Stirling, Scotland
Died	10 December 1994 Oxford, England
Cause of death	Ballistic trauma
Other names	"Spike"
Occupation	Forensic scientist
Known for	Victim of unsolved murder

He was originally from Stirling and lived in Monks Close, on the Blackbird Leys estate in Oxford. He had spent the previous four years researching molecular biology of proteins involved in cell adhesion.
He was married but had separated from his wife.
Neighbours said that he had increased security at his house, drawing curtains all day and keeping his doors locked. He had also made his phone number ex-directory in the twelve months before his death.

Day of Shooting​

On 10 December 1994 around 4:30pm a 999 phone call was received. The caller didn't speak but could be heard struggling to breath. When police arrived at the house it looked secure, but they could see a man's body in the kitchen. They broke in and found the body of Dr. Meenaghan on the floor with the phone off the hook. His then-girlfriend arrived shortly afterwards, shocked to find the police there.

Aftermath​

Police followed several leads, including the possibilities of a hired hitman, or of mistaken identity, but no leads were found. His work was uncontroversial and despite speculation the work had nothing to do with DNA fingerprinting.
On the twentieth anniversary of his murder a reward of £20,000 was offered jointly by Crime Stoppers and Thames Valley Police, which was valid for three months. His mother Pat said, "His death is always with me and there is not a day goes by when I don't miss him. We still don't know why someone would be so callous as to take his life and rob the world of a lovely man and a gifted scientist." Police said there was no clear motive for the shooting.''

 

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rbbm.

MURDER TO BAFFLE EVEN MORSE'S MIND; A man alone mysteriously shot through the window of his home in Oxford. No motive. No suspects. No leads. No wonder, two years on, that detectives are still baffled about the killing of a brilliant Oxford boffin. M

Free Online Library: MURDER TO BAFFLE EVEN MORSE'S MIND; A man alone mysteriously shot through the window of his home in Oxford. No motive. No suspects. No leads. No wonder, two years on, that detectives are still baffled about the killing of a brilliant Oxford boffin. MURRAY DAVIES...

www.thefreelibrary.com

''Late on the quiet Saturday afternoon of December 10, 1994, Spike Meenaghan, a Celtic fanatic, sat down at home to watch the football results on TV.

As the set sparked into life, Spike went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Outside in the darkness, a killer crept silently through the small, untidy back garden and fired one shot from a 12-bore shotgun through the kitchen window.

Spike was hit in the chest.''

''Neither the shotgun nor the cartridge was ever found. The hard frosty ground carried no footprints. The shot and wadding found in Spike's chest were of a common make.''


''The spread of pellets indicated his killer fired from between six and 12 feet.''

The killer probably approached Spike's home in the cul-de-sac through allotments which joined the back of his garden. Two men spent the Saturday afternoon in an allotment hut but they had been drinking heavily and saw nothing.''

''Detectives questioned friends, neighbours and colleagues at Oxford University's Sir William Dunn School of Pathology.

''They quickly learned that Dr Meenaghan did not fit in with the common idea of a scientific boffin. Spike - so called because of the similarity of Meenaghan to Milligan - was 6ft 3in tall, wore a pony tail, loved playing volleyball, drank Irn-Bru and lived in Blackbird Leys, a rough council estate in South Oxford with a reputation for joyriders.

Spike came from a working-class family in Stirling and retained his strong Scottish accent. He was amusing and popular. Seemingly, he did not have an enemy in the world.

Detectives were initially puzzled that such a gifted scientist chose to buy a house on the crime-riddled council estate.

But they learned that the Glasgow-born scientist claimed he felt at home there. He had married at 20 and parted within four years. With a divorced wife and an 11-year-old son to keep, he could not afford an expensive flat on his pounds 18,000-a-year salary.''

Spike was not house proud. He hung sheets rather than curtains in the windows - the kitchen window was the only one uncovered - and neglected the garden.

Neighbours were surprised that Spike was last seen - 30 minutes before he was shot - planing his front door.''


''They are still no nearer knowing whether they are looking for a random killer, an obsessive with a grudge or even a professional gunman who blasted the wrong victim.''

''Rumours about drugs, an alleged row with neighbours and the fact that Meenaghan lived near a convicted rapist all led to nothing.

Detectives turned to 34-year-old Spike's tangled love life. The vast majority of murder victims are known to their killers.

They found Spike had lived with Jenny, a psychology student, in the modern terrace house in Monks Close until the previous Easter.

Towards the end their relationship had become stormy. One argument had only ended when the police were called and another time Spike had been attacked with a pair of scissors by a woman. He had since been seeing Denise, a married woman from Birmingham. Spike was about to sell his house and live with his new love.

He was due to meet Denise that Saturday night to go to a pub gig. When he did not arrive, she drove to his home to find him dead and police at the scene.

Did either Jenny or Denise's husband want revenge, detectives asked?''

''Both women and Denise's husband were interviewed at length. They all had solid alibis and finally Det Supt Blair was convinced that a personal motive did not lie behind Spike's killing.''

''Det Supt Blair offered a pounds 10,000 reward in the hope that it would loosen tongues on the estate. Was Spike the victim of a professional hit man? Mr Blair does not believe so.

"It doesn't stack up," he said. "The shooting was amateur. One shotgun blast through a window is by no means certain to kill.

"Spike reached the phone and might well have lived. A contract killer would have gone to the front door, rung the bell and shot his victim twice with a handgun."


"As far as I'm concerned Michael's not dead. It may sound daft but I talk to his photograph. He is with me."

Detectives are keeping an open mind about the murder but remain concerned that the killer is unstable and dangerous. He got away with it once. Will he try it again?

IF you have any information regarding Spike's murder, contact Crimebusters on 0800 555 111. Calls are free and treated in strict confidence''

 

[annemc2]

Wow. Fascinating case. And very cool that he shows up so prominently on a google search. There's a podcast, too

Dr Michael Meenaghan – Still At Large Podcast – Podcast

1994 also witnessed the passing of the legendary formula one racing driver, Ayrton Senna on lap 6 of the San Marino Grand Prix, when he lost control of his car as he entered the Tamburello corner at 1... – Listen to Dr Michael Meenaghan by Still At Large Podcast instantly on your tablet, phone...

podtail.com

Neighbours were surprised that Spike was last seen - 30 minutes before he was shot - planing his front door.''
The SF Gate says:
Planing removes a small amount of wood, just enough to make the door clear the jamb and close properly. The repair requires removal of the door, but you can accomplish the task with tools available in most homeowner toolboxes.

I had to look that up. So he was visible and quite into a project. I guess vulnerable in a sense that someone knew he was at home and not likely vigilant for any potential threats. Yet someone waited and shot him through a window...

 

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Wondering if the shot to the chest as opposed to the head, was indicative of the shooter's height, or possibly the killer specifically wanted to 'aim for the heart'? imo.