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

[trendsetter]

"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".

"He'd been watching the house", "... "he came with enough paraphernalia to restrain two women".

What evidence does Britton cite to support these two statements?

 

[dotr]

Jan '25 Chelsea Queen rbbm.

The Unsolved Murder of Janet Brown: A Tragic and Mysterious Case

Janet Brown, an English nurse born on January 27, 1944, was tragically murdered in her home in Radnage, Buckinghamshire, on April 10, 1995…

medium.com

''Known for her security-conscious nature, Brown had even established a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme and had a panic alarm installed in her home after a series of local burglaries. Despite these precautions, on the evening of her murder, an intruder or intruders broke into the house, handcuffed and gagged her, then brutally beat her to death with a blunt object, possibly a crowbar. Brown may have triggered her panic alarm at some point during the attack, but the killer remained at the scene, washing his hands of blood and moving around the house.''

''Forensic psychologist Paul Britton assisted in the investigation, suggesting that the killer may have been motivated by a desire to dominate and humiliate the victim. Detective Superintendent Martin Short noted the strange behavior of the intruder, who continued his attack despite the alarm sounding.''

 

[dotr]

2020 rbbm

Thames Valley police launch new appeal over 1995 murder of nurse

Janet Brown was beaten to death at her home in Radnage, Buckinghamshire

www.theguardian.com

''The mother-of-three was naked, with her arms handcuffed behind her back and her mouth gagged with packing tape. The victim had suffered four or five blows to the head from a weapon such as a crowbar.''

''The method of entry has also confused police, with the killer trying to cut a man-sized hole out of a double-glazed patio door using a glass cutter - an incredibly time-consuming and difficult process. Eventually, they just smashed their way through.''

''About 10 months after the killing, police received two anonymous answerphone messages from a male caller that seemed significant. Investigators said at the time it was unlikely the calls were hoaxes and the tone and content suggested the caller believed the information was of importance.''

 

[tes1984]

"He'd been watching the house", "... "he came with enough paraphernalia to restrain two women".

What evidence does Britton cite to support these two statements?

In the book PB only gives a summary of what he suspects happened. I don't think he has solid evidence to back up some of his hunches, or he would explain more in the book.

He thinks the killer was watching the house, because the killer struck within minutes of Janet going to bed. Janet didn't ever draw the curtains or blinds, so anyone watching the house could have seen her go up the stairs. The land dipped behind the house, meaning someone could watch the property without being seen from occupants on the ground floor.

The killer brought two different types of tape with him, much more than he would have needed to restrain a single victim... and also possibly handcuffs, although Janet's husband thought he recalled a pair of handcuffs from years earlier.
The killer left the handcuffs on Janet. PB thinks this is because the handcuff keys were underneath Janet's body, and he couldn't find them.

 

[tes1984]

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

I haven't heard anything about DNA in the Carolanne Jackson case. I think they would have announced it if there was a profile, and certainly if there was DNA matching the Janet Brown DNA.

The source of the Janet Brown DNA isn't really confirmed. Presumably it's not from semen or blood. I wonder if it's touch DNA that couldn't be identified until the 2010s.

The two murders may well be linked, but I've seen too many coincidences in UK cases to be as confident as you are about it definitely being the same offender.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

I haven't heard anything about DNA in the Carolanne Jackson case. I think they would have announced it if there was a profile, and certainly if there was DNA matching the Janet Brown DNA.

The source of the Janet Brown DNA isn't really confirmed. Presumably it's not from semen or blood. I wonder if it's touch DNA that couldn't be identified until the 2010s.

The two murders may well be linked, but I've seen too many coincidences in UK cases to be as confident as you are about it definitely being the same offender.

Yes, I’m always in a way shocked by how many murders are seeming one-offs, more people are capable of this type of crime than I might like to think sometimes. I try not to avoid attributing every murder in a particular area to e.g. Steve Wright or or Levi Bellfield or Christopher Halliwell but on this one I do think it’s the same person — but of course only a guess. The police don’t seem to have mentioned Carolanne in the most recent appeal for Janet.

 

[HollyHunter9]

The first I heard of this case was today when I saw the appeal in the news. It's kind of giving me BTK vibes (American serial killer who would break into women's homes and Bind Torture Kill them, if I remember correctly he didn't actually SA any of the victims but would masterbate afterwards).

I'm wondering if back in 1995 there was the technology to find sexual DNA not on the victim but in other areas of the house? Carpets etc? (Might possibly be where the new breakthrough DNA has come from perhaps?) Alot of US cold cases are being solved with ancestry DNA databases.

I find it really odd she was found naked yet the police say it's not a sexually motivated murder. This is a very brutal crime and what I would say is overkill, it demonstrates a high level of anger towards the victim (s). This is someone with a real hatred towards women of that age and perhaps someone who struggles sexually (cannot maintain erection possibly) sorry for being graphic and has mother issues.

I do think the two cases are connected. Both women of similar age, both home invasions, both restrained and killed. Do we know if Caroline was also found naked? Did janet also complain of a stalker?

It is also reminding of these murder/"suicides" of elderly couples in Cheshire which is only around 2 hours away from Buckinghamshire. I have no idea why on earth these cases are ruled suicides...one of them the elderly husband is said to have killed his wife then stabbed himself in the neck, then took a bunch of pills and then wrapped a coat hanger around his own neck yet family said he had severe parkinsons and could barely make a cup of tea!

• Howard and Bea Ainsworth, and Donald and Auriel Ward died in 1996 and 1999
• A coroner's officer has suggested that a serial killer could have killed all four

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www.google.com

Another thing I find strange about janet brown murder is the fact the perpetrator tried to cut a man sized hole through the glass before giving up and smashing their way in. Is glass cutting very noisy? Wouldn't it have alerted janet? Or the neighbours? Is glass cutting equipment expensive? Most burglaries are opportunistic and involve a broken door, lock, window etc. I don't know if burglers would turn up with expensive glass cutting kit.

There had been a spate of burglaries in the area at the time which is why janet had a panic alarm installed. Do we know if any of the other burglaries in the area involved a glass cutter? Who installed Janet's panic alarm? (BTK killer was a telephone/alarm installer and that's how he picked his victims - he knew who lived alone and what security they had). Also why did no one respond to janets panic alarm??

I do think this is a possible serial killer who has progressed from peeping tom, to breaking in, to torture & murder of lone elderly women to maybe murdering elderly couples? The elderly couple murders were only one year later 1996 and then again in 2000 and not that far away (serial killer Peter Tobin used to travel between Margate in the most south of UK to Glasgow the most north of UK to evade suspicion which is 470miles, cheshire to Buckinghamshire is 161miles).

 

[tes1984]

Another thing I find strange about janet brown murder is the fact the perpetrator tried to cut a man sized hole through the glass before giving up and smashing their way in. Is glass cutting very noisy? Wouldn't it have alerted janet? Or the neighbours? Is glass cutting equipment expensive? Most burglaries are opportunistic and involve a broken door, lock, window etc. I don't know if burglers would turn up with expensive glass cutting kit.

There had been a spate of burglaries in the area at the time which is why janet had a panic alarm installed. Do we know if any of the other burglaries in the area involved a glass cutter? Who installed Janet's panic alarm? (BTK killer was a telephone/alarm installer and that's how he picked his victims - he knew who lived alone and what security they had). Also why did no one respond to janets panic alarm??

The glass cutting is completely bizarre. A burglar would usually only make a hole big enough to put his hand through. He doesn't need to climb through, just to get to the door lock.

Presumably Janet pressed the panic alarm in her bedroom as the killer was breaking in. She may have been frozen in fright and stayed in her bedroom until he got there.

The alarm system had two parts. An external alarm which rang for twenty minutes, and an internal alarm which continued ringing until it was deactivated, or the battery ran out. The killer seems to have left the internal alarm ringing for about two hours.

Why didn't he care that it was ringing? Did he know that the alarm wasn't the type linked to a security company who would respond? Or did he just think the house was so far away from neighbours (200 metres or so) that nobody would hear?

If the alarm is deactivated after two hours, when the killer finally leaves the property, then why doesn't he just deactivate it a long time earlier? Does it take him a long time working out how to switch it off? Or does he enjoy the chaos and panic the sound creates?

 

[HollyHunter9]

The glass cutting is completely bizarre. A burglar would usually only make a hole big enough to put his hand through. He doesn't need to climb through, just to get to the door lock.

Presumably Janet pressed the panic alarm in her bedroom as the killer was breaking in. She may have been frozen in fright and stayed in her bedroom until he got there.

The alarm system had two parts. An external alarm which rang for twenty minutes, and an internal alarm which continued ringing until it was deactivated, or the battery ran out. The killer seems to have left the internal alarm ringing for about two hours.

Why didn't he care that it was ringing? Did he know that the alarm wasn't the type linked to a security company who would respond? Or did he just think the house was so far away from neighbours (200 metres or so) that nobody would hear?

If the alarm is deactivated after two hours, when the killer finally leaves the property, then why doesn't he just deactivate it a long time earlier? Does it take him a long time working out how to switch it off? Or does he enjoy the chaos and panic the sound creates?

Yes totally bizarre. Like you say a burgler would only make a hole big enough for a hand to go through and unlock a door. Oh I didn't realise the alarm was going for 2 hours! That's even more perplexing! I'm starting to think the alarm might be the key to solving this. Like you say why didn't they turn the alarm off when it first went off? They stayed in the house quite a while after so they clearly knew the alarm was not connected to a security company. I know the other similar murder of Caroline, she had felt she was being stalked so I wonder if she had also had some sort of security alarm system recently installed??

Oh and the attempt at glass cutting..I wonder if the mark they left gave an indication of the height/build of the perpetrator?

 

[Cedars]

And it is very unusual for people to hire professional assassins outside of the criminal underworld.

In case I've followed, they're not 'professional'. They're lowlifes that will do something for money.

For eg, Mark Sievers persuaded his childhood friend to kill his wife in Florida, while he was away on vacation with the children. The friend wasn't even a known criminal, just jumped at the cash offer.

 

[HollyHunter9]

I've just looked up more about carolanne's case and found this very interesting..

Superintendent Alan Partridge, leading the murder investigation, also said there had been other earlier incidents when Ms Jackson had complained about being followed. She was very security-conscious and her home was protected by an alarm system.

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

 

[tes1984]

In October 1997, Detective Constable Marjorie Nolan said the Carolanne Jackson case "..is not going to be another Janet Brown. This one is solvable".

That doesn't really sound like they were linking the two murders.

 

[tes1984]

I'm starting to think the alarm might be the key to solving this. Like you say why didn't they turn the alarm off when it first went off? They stayed in the house quite a while after so they clearly knew the alarm was not connected to a security company.

Oh and the attempt at glass cutting..I wonder if the mark they left gave an indication of the height/build of the perpetrator?

IMO the alarm is one of the weaknesses with Paul Britton's idea that the killer was waiting to see if Roxane would return.

What does the killer think Roxane will do when she arrives home and hears the alarm? He knows someone would have to give Roxane a lift home, as her car is in the driveway, so isn't he worried that a friend or chivalrous cab driver might enter the house with Roxane to investigate the alarm?

I don't think the glass cutting gave any indication of the height/build of the perp. The police think he was somewhat taller than Janet (who was 5ft 4) because the shower head was higher than the height she would have used to have a shower.

 

[HollyHunter9]

IMO the alarm is one of the weaknesses with Paul Britton's idea that the killer was waiting to see if Roxane would return.

What does the killer think Roxane will do when she arrives home and hears the alarm? He knows someone would have to give Roxane a lift home, as her car is in the driveway, so isn't he worried that a friend or chivalrous cab driver might enter the house with Roxane to investigate the alarm?

I don't think the glass cutting gave any indication of the height/build of the perp. The police think he was somewhat taller than Janet (who was 5ft 4) because the shower head was higher than the height she would have used to have a shower.

I agree. I don't think the killer was targeting or waiting for roxanne. I think it was specifically janet he was after. He knew the husband was away and I think he watched roxanne leave so even though both cars were on the drive the killer was very much aware that janet was alone.

 

[Cedars]

I agree. I don't think the killer was targeting or waiting for roxanne. I think it was specifically janet he was after. He knew the husband was away and I think he watched roxanne leave so even though both cars were on the drive the killer was very much aware that janet was alone.

Plus the killer seemed to know he had lots of time, that the daughter didn't just go out to pick up some food or something, intending to come right back, and therefore discover him in the act...

I agree it seems completely targeted. If someone is looking for a random victim, plenty of women live alone, and the predator checks for points of entry - an open window or unlocked/easy to jimmy door.

JMO

 

[youngsleuther]

i

I agree. I don't think the killer was targeting or waiting for roxanne. I think it was specifically janet he was after. He knew the husband was away and I think he watched roxanne leave so even though both cars were on the drive the killer was very much aware that janet was alone.

i think so too. i believe that he had waited for Roxanne to leave and i also speculate that maybe it could've been someone who knew roxxane or any of their friends who might have gotten information about the same.
one thing i found percular as i saw in the crimewatch doc wad that the neighbour had noticed that there was an extra car parked but maybe that was a regular appearance (someone known to janet?) so she ignored the car.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Plus the killer seemed to know he had lots of time, that the daughter didn't just go out to pick up some food or something, intending to come right back, and therefore discover him in the act...

I agree it seems completely targeted. If someone is looking for a random victim, plenty of women live alone, and the predator checks for points of entry - an open window or unlocked/easy to jimmy door.

JMO

Yes, how did the killer know that roxanne wouldn't be back all evening? From what I've read online, the killer spent quite a bit of time inside the house afterwards, even with the alarm still going off. They were in no hurry to get away. I'm wondering if it could've been a neighbour? Maybe janet briefly spoke to a neighbour in passing and might have mentioned about roxanne going out for the evening?

i

i think so too. i believe that he had waited for Roxanne to leave and i also speculate that maybe it could've been someone who knew roxxane or any of their friends who might have gotten information about the same.
one thing i found percular as i saw in the crimewatch doc wad that the neighbour had noticed that there was an extra car parked but maybe that was a regular appearance (someone known to janet?) so she ignored the car.

Yes that is odd. I'll try find the crimewatch doc online as I've not seen it yet. Maybe if janet had been having work done on her house recently there may have been different cars/vans parked outside at various times so no one took notice?

Sometimes when I get home from work if I cross paths with my neighbours we'll say hi and a bit of small talk, if this happened with janet no one would really know such a conversation took place except janet and the neighbour. I wonder if any of the neighbours were ever looked at?

 

[dotr]

Starting @ approx. 8:30

 

[Cedars]

I was just viewing the crimewatch show, it starts @ 49 mins at this link:

I notice it said the daughter had planned to be away many hours in advance - she told her mother early in the morning, before she left for the day. There's no indication she went back home and then left again.

I also notice the narrator says something like 'we know very little about Janet herself, if you knew or talked her please come forward'.

So, IMO, they may not know whether she did or didn't have a secret affair, or whether she did or didn't have a happy marriage, etc.

JMO

 

[HollyHunter9]

Starting @ approx. 8:30

Thankyou for this!