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

[Diddian]

0

What if the torture was specified in the contract? Someone wants a stable, middle-aged woman to suffer....really suffer...it may be traceable to a relative with a grudge, no? Especially considering that she lived outside a rural village....it just seems that there would be very little likelihood of attracting the attention of a random psychopath.

She lived outside a rural village, but she worked 35-45 minutes NE in the more populated area of Oxford. She may have been spotted and stalked from there.

There could be something to your "relative with a grudge" based solely upon the apparent animus of the attack and the victim's age and longtime marriage with multiple children and NOT based on anything I'm actually aware of about family members. I'd expand the concern to whether there might be any "relative with a grudge or a conflict of interest."

LE seems very careful when talking about the anonymous calls they received ten months after the attack. Could that reflect a kind of delicacy needed in appealing to that person to come forward because their coming forward could impact broader family relationships?

Were JB's and her husband's parents still alive? Beginning to suffer the ailments of the elderly? Were there differences among middle-aged siblings about their care? Did they have large estates to leave heirs? Had they already passed and were there any open estate issues?

 

[TheRockingRev]

What if the torture was specified in the contract? Someone wants a stable, middle-aged woman to suffer....really suffer...it may be traceable to a relative with a grudge, no? Especially considering that she lived outside a rural village....it just seems that there would be very little likelihood of attracting the attention of a random psychopath.

I would say that a random psychopath would definitely target a person living in a rural village. It's the perfect victim.

 

[Oakie]

I would say that a random psychopath would definitely target a person living in a rural village. It's the perfect victim.

Well, Peter Tobin did that (apparently many times), but the point I was trying to make there, was that the prospective killer would have to be aware of her in the first place.

By the way, I haven't read through the entire thread (or did, but forgot having done so). Has Peter Tobin been definitely ruled out?

 

[tes1984]

Tobin was in prison in 1995, and anyway his DNA doesn't match the profile of Janet's killer.

 

[forensicswannabe]

Because of how sadistic and brutal Janet's murder was it is hard for me to believe this offender has never committed another crime since... I wonder if he is still alive?

 

[tes1984]

Because of how sadistic and brutal Janet's murder was it is hard for me to believe this offender has never committed another crime since... I wonder if he is still alive?

Statistically he is probably still alive. I reckon 80-90% of these offenders stop after one barbaric murder. The FBI were certainly way off that lust killers keep offending until death, capture, old age or disability.

 

[forensicswannabe]

Statistically he is probably still alive. I reckon 80-90% of these offenders stop after one barbaric murder. The FBI were certainly way off that lust killers keep offending until death, capture, old age or disability.

True actually when you think about some killers who have been exposed thanks to Familial DNA and they went on to live normal lives after committing such a horrific act, very scary.

 

[TheRockingRev]

Well, Peter Tobin did that (apparently many times), but the point I was trying to make there, was that the prospective killer would have to be aware of her in the first place.

Absolutely, so it could mean that it was someone they knew, or someone who observed her previously, so pointing to a local. Was there anyone who moved away from the area not long after the killing?

 

[Sluether87]

This case is one I revisit often, I really hope it is solved soon. Some things not mentioned from the books written about this case.

- They were not moving to Canada. This was proposed many, many years prior when Graeham had just taken up a work position there. They subsequently decided to keep a base in England for the sake of the children's education.

- At the time of the murder, Graeham worked in Basel, Switzerland, and by this time he and Janet were seperated (but not legally). Gareham was in a relationship with a woman in Switzerland, but still visited the home regularly - their children were seemingly aware of the pending separation. The house was going to be sold and the money split, so Janet could buy her own property (and presumably their youngest would go with her). By all accounts this was just a step in winding down their marriage.

- There were two panic buttons linked to the internal/external alarm system, one in the bedroom and one downstairs by the front door. A half-turned key in the front door, suggested that Janet may have pressed the alarm downstairs.

- A strip of tape found in the bedroom upstairs suggested the attack started there.

- Diluted blood found on the upstairs light switches, suggested the perpetrator washed their hands, after the murder, before looking around the property.

- The only thing known to be touched, was a hamper full of scuba diving equipment.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

It was said that the intruder would be covered in blood. However, it was also said that he might have had a shower in the house, afterwards, as the shower head was in a high position although Janet was short. If he had had a shower, only his clothes would be covered in blood, unless he had taken a jacket or coat from the house, to put over the top without any family member later realising that it was missing. If he did have a shower, he would have had to have taken the towel with him to avoid leaving DNA behind.

Does anyone have any information on the car that was seen nearby? There was also a comment about a man being seen in the area before and afterwards.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

This whole case is puzzling. I think the intruder had some knowledge of the household and so expected to find Mrs Brown and Roxanne at home. Some people say he would have watched the house and would have seen Roxanne leave. Watching the front of the house would have been difficult, given the nature of the narrow country road and the bushes opposite. In any case, he could have hardly have known that Roxanne would spend the night at the friend's house. Leaving is one thing, staying away for the night is another.

I don't know how the intruder approached the house in its isolated location. He would have needed a car or motorbike to get to the area, although he could have used an easy to conceal pushbike. If he had a car, where would he have left it while he was in the house? Someone saw a car parked in a small off road area nearby known locally as the tri-angle. He could have parked there and walked to and from the house, risking being seen and noted. But, if he did park there, given the length of time he was in the house, surely there would have been more sightings of his car. I have a vague recollection that someone mentioned a car parked in the house's driveway, in addition to Mrs Brown's car and Roxanne's car. That would have been odd, as there would have been a risk that Mrs Brown might see the car arrive and the intruder going behind the house to break in. Passers-by might also have noted the car there for hours. That would have been a high risk thing to do.

 

[CGMK]

The daughter went to stay at a friend's house, so the household that might have had visitors, friends, or phone calls could have obtained this information from their side, I wonder if anybody tried to contain how far that information was spread by the girls/household

 

[Professor Moriarty]

The daughter went to stay at a friend's house, so the household that might have had visitors, friends, or phone calls could have obtained this information from their side, I wonder if anybody tried to contain how far that information was spread by the girls/household

The police ruled that out.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

DO YOU KNOW THE COOL KILLER WHO BATTERED JANET TO DEATH? - Free Online Library

This article says only four or five people knew Roxanne would be away that night. Fairly easy for police to ask them for alibis and check them out.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

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.

In the crimewatch item, the neighbour said she saw a car parked in the area known locally as the triangle. This was simply an off road area in front of the entrance gate of a field: the field entrance was set back from the road and there is a triangular shaped area in front of it. This area is a short walk away from Janet Brown's house. The car was not in Janet Brown's driveway.

 

[TheRockingRev]

DO YOU KNOW THE COOL KILLER WHO BATTERED JANET TO DEATH? - Free Online Library

This article says only four or five people knew Roxanne would be away that night. Fairly easy for police to ask them for alibis and check them out.

That's a good article, breaking down so many of the facts. Reading it though you do start to wonder what exactly went on. It's as if it started out as a simple B&E and descended down a very dark path into hell.
How it could change so much, and with the perpetrator seemingly unphased by anything, is shocking. Whoever it was most certainly is a very unhinged and dangerous individual.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

This case has some features in common with the murders of Janice and Constance Sheridan in January 1999. In that case, Kevin Cotterell entered an isolated house where a 70 year old lady lived with her 45 year old daughter. He killed both women and spent the night in the house, only leaving the next day.

I don't suggest that the same man murdered Janet Brown, but in both cases there seems to have been no motive other than to murder and humiliate the victims. Kevin Cotterell had sold a double glazed window to the ladies previously, so he knew the house was isolated and that it contained two women. I suspect, in Janet Brown's case, the killer similarly knew something about the house and occupants. Unlike some, I don't think he knew that Roxanne would be away for the night. (Even if he had seen Roxanne leave, he could not have known that she would sleep over at her friend's house.) I think he entered the house intending to control and kill two women.

A very unhinged person indeed.

 

[tes1984]

Unlike some, I don't think he knew that Roxanne would be away for the night. (Even if he had seen Roxanne leave, he could not have known that she would sleep over at her friend's house.) I think he entered the house intending to control and kill two women.

A very unhinged person indeed.

I also tend to think the killer went there intending to control two victims.

However, in this scenario you have to wonder how he reacted when he realised Roxy wasn't there.

He doesn't seem concerned that she might return home (whilst he's upstairs) notice the window/alarm and run off to get help?

If he's waiting around for so long in case Roxy returns, then isn't he worried she might turn up with a male who has given her a lift home?

 

[Hustling01]

They have DNA and have ran it i assume and he isnt of the police databases so i wonder if he died not long after or went straight never to commit a crime ever again

 

[Sarahlou]

They have DNA and have ran it i assume and he isnt of the police databases so i wonder if he died not long after or went straight never to commit a crime ever again

He could have moved abroad at some point but that's probably unlikely.
Hard to see him not committing more crimes if he had the chance though.