UK UK- Janet Brown, 51, research nurse, found nude, gagged, handcuffed & bludgeoned to death, @ home, Buckinghamshire,10 April '95, *DNA, new initiative*

[dotr]

Buckinghamshire: 'Mum was handcuffed and bludgeoned to death'

A family and Thames Valley Police appeal for information on the 30th anniversary of a cold case murder.

www.bbc.com

April 10 2025
''The violent murder of mother-of-three Janet Brown "totally shattered" her family and has baffled police for three decades.
Janet, a 51-year-old research nurse in Oxford, was home alone in the Chiltern Hills, near Radnage in Buckinghamshire, when someone broke in, handcuffed her and hit her on the head repeatedly with a heavy object.''
"It's not too late. The police have DNA from the scene so they just need a name to be able to find a match."

Family photo
''Janet Brown "juggled working life with family life" and her family was "everything" to her
After training as a nurse and midwife, Janet had been working as a medical research nurse for Oxford University's Public Health and Primary Care department at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

At the time of her killing, Janet's husband Grahaem Brown had been working abroad in Switzerland.

The couple had three children; Zara who was living and working in London, Ben who was away at university and Roxane who was still living at home, but had been staying the night with a friend on 10 April 1995.''

 

[dotr]

April 10 2025 rbbm

Reward of up to £20,000 offered of cold case murder investigation in Buckinghamshire

Today (10/4) marks the 30th anniversary of the tragic death.

www.bucks.radio

By Hannah Cross

Today (10/4) marks the 30th anniversary of the tragic death.
''A substantial reward of up to £20,000 has been announced for information leading to the identification and conviction of the person responsible for the murder of Janet Brown, a nurse from Buckinghamshire, who was tragically killed 30 years ago on April 10, 1995.

The body of 51-year-old Janet Brown, a mother-of-three, was discovered the following day at the bottom of her staircase by builders working on her home in Radnage. The circumstances surrounding her death suggest a violent crime: Janet was found handcuffed, gagged, and had sustained multiple head injuries. Notably, there was no evidence of sexual assault, and investigators have remained open to various motives.''

 

[dotr]

April 10 '25 rbbm

Fears killer could strike again after mother-of-three murdered in her own home

More than 1,000 men have been screened and eliminated from the inquiry by the police

www.independent.co.uk

'The daughter of a medical researcher murdered 30 years ago has launched an appeal for information to help bring her mother's killer to justice, fearing they may strike again.'

'Discovered at the foot of the stairs, naked, gagged, and handcuffed, detectives have ruled out a sexual motive. Despite the house being searched, nothing was stolen.'

''Thames Valley Police possess a DNA sample from the scene, believed to belong to the murderer. However, it has not matched anyone on the police database, leaving the case unsolved for three decades
More than 1,000 men have been screened and eliminated from the inquiry by the investigation team.'
'The killer initially tried to cut a hole in the glass of a double-glazed patio door before smashing his way in. It is believed Mrs Brown was killed between 8.15pm and 10.15pm that night.'

A driveway outside the house where Janet Brown, 51, was found at the foot of the stairs with fatal, blunt-force head injuries on April 10 1995 (Thames Valley Police/PA Wire)

 

[tes1984]

Paul Britton covers this tragic murder in his classic books.

PB maintains that Janet's murder was sexually motivated, and that the main target of the killer was Roxane, Janet's teenaged daughter.

 

[tes1984]

A career burglar called in (anonymously) after the Crimewatch appeal and explained why the perp wasn't a professional house breaker.

The killer did seem to know that the alarm system going off wasn't going to mean that the police would be there any minute.

The new appeal really down plays just how brutal and bizarre this murder was. It reminds me a bit of the Miyazawa family murder from Japan (great thread on that case here on websleuths btw) although in the JB case the killer was clearly a lot more seasoned and evidence conscious than the Japanese maniac.

 

[Konstantin]

'Discovered at the foot of the stairs, naked, gagged, and handcuffed, detectives have ruled out a sexual motive. Despite the house being searched, nothing was stolen.'

Since the killer knew there was someone at home and brought equipment (at least the handcuffs) with him, it suggests this was someone who knew her in some way and targeted her or at least had known of her as a target.

I am surprised the police thought there was no sexual motive given the victim was naked. She hadn't been assaulted (I assume that means no evidence of rape or semen found on the body) but why completely rule out a sexual motive?

I think I have Britton's books so will look this one up.

 

[Cedars]

Paul Britton covers this tragic murder in his classic books.

PB maintains that Janet's murder was sexually motivated, and that the main target of the killer was Roxane, Janet's teenaged daughter.

And yet she wasn't home? Wouldn't such a determined killer check that part, and make sure she was alone, too...?

I think the opposite, I think the killer chose a night when Janet was home alone. Because the killer -or whoever hired the killer - didn't want to endanger the child.

This scenario is awfully common, and it's usually the usual suspect.

IMO, the killer probably left the country.

JMO

 

[tes1984]

And yet she wasn't home? Wouldn't such a determined killer check that part, and make sure she was alone, too...?

I think the opposite, I think the killer chose a night when Janet was home alone. Because the killer -or whoever hired the killer - didn't want to endanger the child.

This scenario is awfully common, and it's usually the usual suspect.

IMO, the killer probably left the country.

JMO

I get what you're saying, but Roxane going out that night wasn't something that was planned in advance.

A hired killer would have had to have known this within a few hours of Roxane telling Janet.

 

[Konstantin]

I get what you're saying, but Roxane going out that night wasn't something that was planned in advance.

A hired killer would have had to have known this within a few hours of Roxane telling Janet.

I agree. And it is very unusual for people to hire professional assassins outside of the criminal underworld. Which Janet and Roxane were not part of. Janet was an ordinary, law abiding person going about her life. What does happen a lot, although thankfully mostly does not end in murder, is that women get stalked.

 

[trendsetter]

Paul Britton covers this tragic murder in his classic books.

PB maintains that Janet's murder was sexually motivated, and that the main target of the killer was Roxane, Janet's teenaged daughter.

For all of us who don't have a copies of his books, can you please tell us how Britton reached these conclusions?

 

[tes1984]

For all of us who don't have a copies of his books, can you please tell us how Britton reached these conclusions?

PB thought that the killer spent far too long in the house to have been a burglar or hitman.

The killer came well prepared with items to bind and restrain, and PB thought this showed he "wanted to dominate Mrs Brown sexually".

According to PB, offenders who 'fail' in regular sexual encounters can go on to develop fantasies of "control and extended humiliation". Janet's killer seems to have spent a long time torturing and humiliating her before the actual murder.

 

[trendsetter]

PB thought that the killer spent far too long in the house to have been a burglar or hitman.

The killer came well prepared with items to bind and restrain, and PB thought this showed he "wanted to dominate Mrs Brown sexually".

According to PB, offenders who 'fail' in regular sexual encounters can go on to develop fantasies of "control and extended humiliation". Janet's killer seems to have spent a long time torturing and humiliating her before the actual murder.

Why did Britton conclude "that the main target of the killer was Roxane, Janet's teenaged daughter"? What evidence did he cite to support this?

 

[Rusty Braincells]

I saw this case on one of the old Crimewatch episodes that people had (to my mind, very helpfully) uploaded to YouTube in recent years. I am glad to see this case is being publicised again and I really hope it’s finally solved.

I am just an amateur sleuther. But it’s my personal opinion this was a sadistic, sexually-motivated killing, but up to a point, opportunistic with Mrs Brown being home alone. I believe the killer was local, knew both Mrs Brown and her daughter by sight (not any better than this), knew they lived at the property and were frequently home either one of them alone, or just the two of them together.

It’s possible the daughter may have been the primary target, as Paul Britton asserts, but I honestly think that PB is missing that some killers do go after women of middle-age, rather than teenage girls. Roxanne being out that night actually might have given the killer the green light to go ahead, because I am sure the same man killed Carolanne Jackson two years later (almost to the day), about 12 miles away. Carolanne was a similar age to Janet, and that to me points away from Janet’s daughter being the main target and at Janet herself. That is the killer’s victim of choice and his modus operandi is to break in, start with what seems like a burglary and then progress from there. The police thought Carolanne was killed by someone watching her who knew she had drew a large amount of cash out of an ATM that evening. That may well be true but the theft is only the precursor to the main crime, I believe it’s how the killer started in both cases but not his main motivation.

Carolanne had reported fears about being stalked. I think the killer watched her house. I think the killer also watched Janet’s house and knew Roxanne was out. Janet was the target IMO.

 

[tes1984]

Why did Britton conclude "that the main target of the killer was Roxane, Janet's teenaged daughter"? What evidence did he cite to support this?

"He was aware of his victims. He'd been watching the house."

"Two cars were parked in the drive. Even casual observation would show two women at the house. Nobody knew Roxanne would be put that evening. She only made the decision that afternoon. On top of this, he came with enough paraphernalia to restrain two women".

 

[dotr]

April 10 2025 Holly Christodoulou lengthy article.

Both bound & murdered 18 miles apart...were these women targeted by same killer?

HANDCUFFED, gagged then bludgeoned to death in her own home, the gruesome details of Janet Brown’s murder were enough to strike fear into anyone. The mum-of-three was alone in her Radnage, Bu…

www.thesun.co.uk

Two years later, Carolanne Jackson was also battered to deathCredit: INS News Group
'Carolanne Jackson was also bound and battered to death in her own home in Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire, almost two years to the day.'

''Like Janet's murder, her killer was also never caught - with many believing the same monster could be behind both attacks.''

''Police feared the killer may have lay in wait for Carolanne to return home and entered her home while she unloaded the car.

Chillingly, she had contacted officers about a man following her while she was driving and had been burgled the previous year.''

 

[Rusty Braincells]

"He was aware of his victims. He'd been watching the house."

"Two cars were parked in the drive. Even casual observation would show two women at the house. Nobody knew Roxanne would be put that evening. She only made the decision that afternoon. On top of this, he came with enough paraphernalia to restrain two women".

I see where PB was coming from, but I think the killer was watching on the day / evening itself and saw for himself Roxanne leave.

The Carolanne Jackson murder so close and so similar, is not a coincidence for me. The killer has some kind of rage, sexually-motivated in nature but not something he is able to realise or fully act on, towards women of that age and profile. He may be a similar age (I’ve seen speculation it could have been someone Janet had worked alongside) but he might also to my mind be younger than both the women were. To begin things, he poses as a burglar, but that is just to get started and not why he is there, there are much easier burglaries he could be committing without killing women as part of it and taking little of value. These aren’t “burglaries gone wrong”, it’s just what he does to get into the house and the start of the process that is drawn-out and directed at the women, not their property.

 

[dotr]

Started thread, cross-posting..

D

UK Thread 'UK- Carolanne Jackson, 50, jewellery & antiques dealer, bound, bludgeoned & asphyxiated, @ home, Buckinghamshire, 11 April 1997, *New initiative*'

Apr 11, 2025

Both bound & murdered 18 miles apart...were these women targeted by same killer?

HANDCUFFED, gagged then bludgeoned to death in her own home, the gruesome details of Janet Brown’s murder were enough to strike fear into anyone. The mum-of-three was alone in her Radnage, Bu…

www.thesun.co.uk

1997 Jason Bennetto rbbm.

Murdered jewellery dealer lived in fear of stalker

A jewellery dealer murdered in her home by an intruder had complained to police at least twice about a stalker, it was disclosed yesterday.

www.independent.co.uk

'A jewellery dealer murdered in her home by an intruder had complained to police at least twice about a stalker, it was disclosed yesterday.

Carolanne Jackson, 50, who ran an antiques business from her home, was found tied up in the kitchen of her cottage in Wooburn Green, near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, on Sunday morning. She died from asphyxiation...

• dotr

• 

 

[tes1984]

I see where PB was coming from, but I think the killer was watching on the day / evening itself and saw for himself Roxanne leave.

The Carolanne Jackson murder so close and so similar, is not a coincidence for me. The killer has some kind of rage, sexually-motivated in nature but not something he is able to realise or fully act on, towards women of that age and profile. He may be a similar age (I’ve seen speculation it could have been someone Janet had worked alongside) but he might also to my mind be younger than both the women were. To begin things, he poses as a burglar, but that is just to get started and not why he is there, there are much easier burglaries he could be committing without killing women as part of it and taking little of value. These aren’t “burglaries gone wrong”, it’s just what he does to get into the house and the start of the process that is drawn-out and directed at the women, not their property.

I think Roxane had left the house much earlier in the day. She rang her mum to say she wouldn't be home for the evening.

I'm not sure if the Carolanne Jackson murder is linked, although I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

IIRC Carolanne ran a business selling gold and jewellery from her home, and lived alone, so a slightly different type of victim to Janet, who didn't keep large amounts of cash or valuables at home.

 

[dotr]

Apr 10, 2025
Cold Case murder: Janet Brown was murdered 30 years ago today. We need your help to catch the killer and there is a £20,000 reward. We have the DNA of the offender, all we need is a name. Please contact us via 101, report online, or by visiting a police station - quote reference 695 (8/4). You can also report via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Help us get justice for Janet and her family.
10/04/2025

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/thames-valley/news/2025/april/07-04-2025/thirtieth-anniversary-of-murder-of-janet-brown--buckinghamshire/

“A very dangerous person or people are still on the loose. They may have committed other crimes against women or people and could do it again.
“Somebody must know something because there would have been a lot of blood. She was handcuffed and beaten badly, literally bludgeoned to death.
“It doesn’t matter if a person didn’t come forward at the time. It’s not too late.”
JW
Update (10/4): The reference number has been updated to 695 (8/4).''

 

[Rusty Braincells]

I think Roxane had left the house much earlier in the day. She rang her mum to say she wouldn't be home for the evening.

I'm not sure if the Carolanne Jackson murder is linked, although I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

IIRC Carolanne ran a business selling gold and jewellery from her home, and lived alone, so a slightly different type of victim to Janet, who didn't keep large amounts of cash or valuables at home.

The police have a DNA sample for Janet’s murder I believe but haven’t said if they have one for Carolanne. They haven’t formally been linked by DNA. I am interested in that detail.

But the distance between the killings, the fact it was only a couple of years, women of a similar age killed by intruders in their home (very unusual), the similar dates (significance to the killer?) I am sure it was the same man and any extra wealth Carolanne had was a red herring. Carolanne claimed stalking and someone watching her house, I believe Janet’s killer did the same and knew Roxanne wasn’t there one way or another (and hadn’t come back in the meanwhile).