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

[tes1984]

Thank you. I'll add these (and adjust to state she "may" have gone out at 6:30 pm as your next post indicates it was not confirmed as "definite") and repost the summary.

Regarding the summary/timeline, I checked my notes and it seems that Roxane left the house at 3.30pm.

 

[skylersymmer]

Does anyone here think that Janet's murderer also killed Carolanne Jackson in 1997? The crimes do seem similar.

I think given the proximity and similar victims it has to be looked at! But carolannes house I was interested to see was much less secluded and given the jewellery business she ran (or her husband maybe I'm not sure) there is more motive so not completely the same

 

[LadyL]

Thanks so much for this local insight. Its really helpful! From the photos of the house I've seen online it doesnt look like you would be able to see that that the external doors are, glass even from a dip in the field? You'd have to be able to see over the wall into the courtyard area? I've attached photos to show what I mean.

Links to both media articles the photos came from are here -

DNA breakthrough in hunt for brutal murderer

The brutal murder of a nurse found gagged, handcuffed and beaten to death 20 years ago today (Friday) is being reinvestigated after new DNA evidence…

www.bucksfreepress.co.uk

Police reveal new DNA breakthrough in 20-year-old cold-case murder

Janet Brown, pictured, was beaten with an iron bar and left for dead at her home in Radnage, near Chinnor in Buckinghamshire on April 10, 1995. Mrs Brown had been beaten to death with an iron bar.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I also note the daily mail article specifies the intruder brought a wheel glass cutter.

so would those patio doors be visible from outside that little courtyard area? cause if not, it seems the person had to have visited there or worked there to know they could get in that way ... the walls of the courtyard seem taller than the window but maybe a workman had access or maybe a realtor showed that area to potential buyers - I don't think it seems visible from the road to random stalkers or delivery drivers etc. if they followed her home

 

[LadyL]

Notice the tent in that Bucks Free Press article you've linked: they must have found something in the back...

I wonder if we've misread the info and the window that was smashed was nearby, but not the same patio door...?

I'm not sure what you mean. The smashed door is visible in the picture you posted.

 

[skylersymmer]

so would those patio doors be visible from outside that little courtyard area? cause if not, it seems the person had to have visited there or worked there to know they could get in that way ... the walls of the courtyard seem taller than the window but maybe a workman had access or maybe a realtor showed that area to potential buyers - I don't think it seems visible from the road to random stalkers or delivery drivers etc. if they followed her home

I agree, I found some house plans (not sure about the rules on sharing) which appear to be from after the attack as there are some new extensions etc on the house but it looks like the glass doors would not have been visible from behind the house/the field as they are within the courtyard. It doesn't appear that there are any sort of french windows/ sliding doors on the exterior which again lends to the point you say that it had to be someone with prior knowledge of the house or the attacker was just really lucky?

 

[tes1984]

I think given the proximity and similar victims it has to be looked at! But carolannes house I was interested to see was much less secluded and given the jewellery business she ran (or her husband maybe I'm not sure) there is more motive so not completely the same

Carolanne lived on her own in a rented property. After the murder, the estate agents hassled her elderly mother to try and get the rent paid up for the remainder of the contract.

 

[HollyHunter9]

so would those patio doors be visible from outside that little courtyard area? cause if not, it seems the person had to have visited there or worked there to know they could get in that way ... the walls of the courtyard seem taller than the window but maybe a workman had access or maybe a realtor showed that area to potential buyers - I don't think it seems visible from the road to random stalkers or delivery drivers etc. if they followed her home

To me from the photo it looks like that courtyard area would not be visible from the road or fields. This was my point from my post, I too believe only someone who had knowledge of that house would know those glass patio doors were there. I'm wondering if there's a link to anyone who viewed the house while it was up for sale? Used it as an excuse to get to know the layout for a later break in / attack.

 

[tes1984]

I'm wondering if the killer had rendered janet unconscious with a blow to the head while upstairs in the bedroom. Then while the killer is in the shower, she comes round, makes a run for the front door and hits the alarm. The killer catches up to her and blugeons her again with the fatal blows (this is why the injuries shows blows from two different angles). During the 2nd attack the handcuff keys fall out of the killers pocket and they don't realise janet ends up on top of them. This would mean the alarm wasn't going off for entire duration but rather towards the end of the attack.

I've been checking some of my case notes and Janet was bludgeoned ten times, but also possibly punched once in the face.

The police weren't certain where the alarm was triggered, but they favoured the front door, rather than the bedroom.

I'm re-checking the timings of the alarm being heard, but I think your scenario may be much more feasible than I suggested in a previous post. Apologies for suggesting it was unrealistic... I've been working from (my sometimes rusty) memory since this thread started.

 

[Cedars]

I'm not sure what you mean. The smashed door is visible in the picture you posted.

View attachment 580846

Somewhere I got the idea that the killer:
1. cut a man-sized hole through the outer pane of one panel
2. then they smashed an 'adjacent' panel.

I see some glass at the bottom of that middle pane, but I'm not sure it's smashed thru both panes...I think that might be the cut, outer pane with the inner pane still intact.

Here's a photo of what I expect to see when both panes are smashed:



However, perhaps I am wrong, and that middle pane was smashed, and the info about the 'adjacent' panel is wrong

or

perhaps by the time that photo was taken, the 'adjacent' smashed panel had been removed and replaced with a new one....

 

[tes1984]

I agree, I found some house plans (not sure about the rules on sharing) which appear to be from after the attack as there are some new extensions etc on the house but it looks like the glass doors would not have been visible from behind the house/the field as they are within the courtyard. It doesn't appear that there are any sort of french windows/ sliding doors on the exterior which again lends to the point you say that it had to be someone with prior knowledge of the house or the attacker was just really lucky?

The house had been marketed for sale for over a year, so perhaps the killer knew of the layout, without actually having been in the house or courtyard.

 

[dotr]

10 April 2015

Janet Brown murder: New DNA sample over Radnage killing

Police reveal a new DNA sample has been produced on the 20th anniversary of the murder of a 51-year-old nurse at her home.

www.bbc.com

Police said a pane of glass had been removed and another smashed at the house

“Further, the method of entry was also very strange because one pane of glass had been removed while the second pane of glass had been smashed, however it is not clear whether it was broken from the outside or from the inside.''

 

[Cedars]

10 April 2015

Janet Brown murder: New DNA sample over Radnage killing

Police reveal a new DNA sample has been produced on the 20th anniversary of the murder of a 51-year-old nurse at her home.

www.bbc.com

View attachment 580950
Police said a pane of glass had been removed and another smashed at the house

“Further, the method of entry was also very strange because one pane of glass had been removed while the second pane of glass had been smashed, however it is not clear whether it was broken from the outside or from the inside.''

That's it, thanks for finding it!

 

[Diddian]

Somewhere I got the idea that the killer:
1. cut a man-sized hole through the outer pane of one panel
2. then they smashed an 'adjacent' panel.

I see some glass at the bottom of that middle pane, but I'm not sure it's smashed thru both panes...I think that might be the cut, outer pane with the inner pane still intact.

Here's a photo of what I expect to see when both panes are smashed:

View attachment 580947

However, perhaps I am wrong, and that middle pane was smashed, and the info about the 'adjacent' panel is wrong

or

perhaps by the time that photo was taken, the 'adjacent' smashed panel had been removed and replaced with a new one....

In an earlier post, I had suggested that after finding it too difficult or time consuming to cut through the middle panel, the perpetrator must have smashed through the side panel which was an operational door so he could reach the latch to unlock and open it.

That was before someone posted a photo here, showing that it is only the middle panel that is broken.

So maybe you remembered it from my posted suggestion, which turned out to be wrong.

(Edited to remove comment at top leftover from a post intended for another thread.)

 

[Cedars]

In an earlier post, I had suggested that after finding it too difficult or time consuming to cut through the middle panel, the perpetrator must have smashed through the side panel which was an operational door so he could reach the latch to unlock and open it.

That was before someone posted a photo here, showing that it is only the middle panel that is broken.

So maybe you remembered it from my posted suggestion, which turned out to be wrong.

(Edited to remove comment at top leftover from a post intended for another thread.)

I think you were correct, per the link above.

I think now, most likely the smashed glass pane was removed before the Sun photo was taken.

It would be a safety issue, it could explode at any time and hurt the forensic guys shown in that photo...

JMO

 

[Diddian]

I think you were correct, per the link above.

I think now, most likely the smashed glass pane was removed before the Sun photo was taken.

It would be a safety issue, it could explode at any time and hurt the forensic guys shown in that photo...

JMO

I don’t know about there (or about the age of that door which could predate regulations) but where I live a glass door or window close to the floor would have to be made of safety glass, tempered such that it cracks into tiny pieces which somewhat adhere to each other so that what you describe (shattering and endangering nearby people) could not happen.

 

[HollyHunter9]

I've been checking some of my case notes and Janet was bludgeoned ten times, but also possibly punched once in the face.

The police weren't certain where the alarm was triggered, but they favoured the front door, rather than the bedroom.

I'm re-checking the timings of the alarm being heard, but I think your scenario may be much more feasible than I suggested in a previous post. Apologies for suggesting it was unrealistic... I've been working from (my sometimes rusty) memory since this thread started.

Hey don't apologise, that's what we are all here for, to give our own thoughts and opinions and discuss different possible scenarios.

I also keep thinking that maybe the alarm heard at 10pm by one of neighbours was when it was first triggered (so maybe the alarm was not going off throughout the attack like previously thought?)

 

[tes1984]

Looking at things from a different angle: what is the shortest possible time the offender could have spent in the house, including the time breaking in?

 

[tes1984]

You might want to add that the builder called at 9pm, but there was no answer.

Actually I think the sequence might be:

6.40pm Roxanne calls (answered)
8.10pm Roxanne's friend calls (answered)
8.20pm builder calls (no answer)
8.30pm husband calls (no answer).

If missing the calls from the builder and her husband were within ten minutes, then perhaps Janet was on the toilet or removing her make up.
Otherwise occupied and thought if it's important then they'll call back later?

 

[HollyHunter9]

Also if you think about the timings,

Actually I think the sequence might be:

6.40pm Roxanne calls (answered)
8.10pm Roxanne's friend calls (answered)
8.20pm builder calls (no answer)
8.30pm husband calls (no answer).

If missing the calls from the builder and her husband were within ten minutes, then perhaps Janet was on the toilet or removing her make up.
Otherwise occupied and thought if it's important then they'll call back later?

Yes I'm starting to think the same thing and that the actual break in/attack happened between 10.15pm-10.30pm instead.

This article has some interesting info -

Police say their “working hypothesis” is that Oxford University research nurse Janet died in a burglary which went wrong.
But they are baffled over why the break-in happened when Janet was still up with the lights on in the house and two cars parked in the driveway.They believe the killer struck between 8.15pm and 10.15pm on the night Janet was murdered - seemingly breaking in by using a glass cutting wheel to make a man-sized hole in the patio doors.
Janet was naked, getting ready for bed and had neatly folded her clothes when she was confronted by her killer in the master bedroom.
A set of metal handcuffs was used to restrain her and masking tape was bound round her nose and mouth.

Cops reveal DNA breakthrough in murder of mum-of-3 nurse 25 years ago

POLICE have revealed a new DNA breakthrough which could solve the murder of nurse Janet Brown who was battered to death 25 years ago. Detectives are using familial DNA to search for a relative with…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[HollyHunter9]

Looking at things from a different angle: what is the shortest possible time the offender could have spent in the house, including the time breaking in?

I'm thinking maybe 15 mins if the break in was closer to 10pm.