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

[Professor Moriarty]

Yes. I've previously referred to the parallel with Kevin Cotterell. In that case he stayed in the house all night, with a large number of whippets in the house and outside of the house in a run. It is likely that the whippets barked. Why would he do that? He could have made his escape in the dark. Crazy.

Although there is no reason to think the same must be true of Janet Brown, it is noteworthy
that Cotterell had visited the house before. He knew it was isolated and housed two women. Hall Farm housed two women (most of the time).

(He was only caught because he arrived in daylight and a farmer noted his number plate-although not quite accurately. The farmer was cautious because it was unusual for people to visit that house, at the end of a dead end road and there had been problems with gypsies etc. He could have arrived in darkness and left in darkness, although perhaps the women would not have answered the door in darkness,)

 

[tes1984]

Perhaps Cotterell was worried about being stopped by police if he drove at night. Maybe he waits until the morning, so he can blend in with people driving to work etc.

Another option is that he's a necrophiliac and wants to spend as long as possible with the dead bodies.

IIRC Cotterell had a fiancee, but lived with his parents. Maybe in the morning, he can return home and say he's spent the night with his fiancee. If he returns home at 1am or 3am might they get suspicious?

 

[tes1984]

My feeling is that Cotterell would have been caught, even without the car sighting.

He was a known visitor to the property within the past twelve months, and as a 17 year old had been convicted of burglary with a sexual element. Unless the double glazing he sold was a cash purchase, off the books with no receipts, then IMO he would have emerged as prime suspect reasonably quickly.

 

[rvlvr]

IIRC Cotterell had a fiancee, but lived with his parents. Maybe in the morning, he can return home and say he's spent the night with his fiancee. If he returns home at 1am or 3am might they get suspicious?

I think this is a good angle as to why Janet’s killer might’ve spent some amount of time in the house. Was he supposed to be at work, perhaps on a late shift? Arriving home early might look suspicious. Or was he waiting to go somewhere - to start a night shift, or to pick someone up after their late shift finished?

Edited to add: I tried to watch the recent episode of Crimewatch again this morning but frustratingly it appears to be no longer available to view on the BBC’s website.

BBC One - Crimewatch Live, Series 22, Search for Truth

Thirty years ago, Janet Brown was killed in her home – do you know who was responsible?

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Professor Moriarty]

I think this is a good angle as to why Janet’s killer might’ve spent some amount of time in the house. Was he supposed to be at work, perhaps on a late shift? Arriving home early might look suspicious. Or was he waiting to go somewhere - to start a night shift, or to pick someone up after their late shift finished?

Edited to add: I tried to watch the recent episode of Crimewatch again this morning but frustratingly it appears to be no longer available to view on the BBC’s website.

BBC One - Crimewatch Live, Series 22, Search for Truth

Thirty years ago, Janet Brown was killed in her home – do you know who was responsible?

www.bbc.co.uk

Even so, if he had to kill time, he could have done it somewhere else with little chance of being spotted. Having to turn up to work later might explain why he washed up (and changed clothes?), but would he want to turn up to work all pumped up? Possibly, if he just had to get in a van or lorry and drive off on his own for hours, but very weird.