UK UK - John 'Goldfinger' Palmer, 64, Brentwood, Essex, 24 June 2015

[Kasparthecat1]

"I haven't seen that one to know if that one goes in to any more detail? If anyone has come across anything that concentrates on the details of the murder itself I'd like the details please. Just seems there are lots of questions to be answered but no one wants to ask them."

I've seen it. It's disappointing, in my view, in respect of the investigation into how he was killed, by whom and why. It's basically an account of Palmer's life and crimes. Predictable stuff, really. It didn't seem add anything to what is already known.

There are so many unanswered questions. One theory is that Palmer was negotiating with authorities in Spain on a possible reduced sentence for his crimes there. Another is that he had something incriminating in a Hatton Garden deposit box which was stolen in the heist. Yet another I've come across is that he was paying protection money to some brothers and fell into arrears.

I've read quite a bit about him but details of the investigation into his death seem thin on the ground. I don't think it's even been fully established what surgery he'd had - some sources say heart, some say gallbladder.

The big question for me (and I'm sure others are thinking the same) is: who knew enough about his movements to catch him in the only part of the garden where there was no security camera? He was in the habit (so I've read) of making calls in that part of the garden for privacy. He was paranoid about safety. How did his son not realise he'd been shot? Why were the dogs not patrolling the garden?

 

[davidt]

"I haven't seen that one to know if that one goes in to any more detail? If anyone has come across anything that concentrates on the details of the murder itself I'd like the details please. Just seems there are lots of questions to be answered but no one wants to ask them."

I've seen it. It's disappointing, in my view, in respect of the investigation into how he was killed, by whom and why. It's basically an account of Palmer's life and crimes. Predictable stuff, really. It didn't seem add anything to what is already known.

There are so many unanswered questions. One theory is that Palmer was negotiating with authorities in Spain on a possible reduced sentence for his crimes there. Another is that he had something incriminating in a Hatton Garden deposit box which was stolen in the heist. Yet another I've come across is that he was paying protection money to some brothers and fell into arrears.

I've read quite a bit about him but details of the investigation into his death seem thin on the ground. I don't think it's even been fully established what surgery he'd had - some sources say heart, some say gallbladder.

The big question for me (and I'm sure others are thinking the same) is: who knew enough about his movements to catch him in the only part of the garden where there was no security camera? He was in the habit (so I've read) of making calls in that part of the garden for privacy. He was paranoid about safety. How did his son not realise he'd been shot? Why were the dogs not patrolling the garden?

I have seen the Crimewatch reconstruction and obviously have no idea how accurate it is. If it is accurate I do find it remarkable the gunshot wounds were mistaken for surgery scars or something. I think paramedics may have raised questions?

From the killers point of view it couldn't have gone any better. Palmer being in an area not covered by CCTV, his partner off horse riding, his son and son's girlfriend in the house seeing and hearing nothing, no guard dogs present and to cap it all he's got a week's start to get away before anyone realises there's been a murder. I'd have thought one of the biggest gangsters in the UK bring found dead in his garden covered in blood would have warranted a thorough examination at any time. Having said that there has been some talk that local police didn't know it was Palmer thst was living there.

Perhaps the gunman just got lucky and had no idea about the CCTV coverage. In any event I doubt he could believe his luck.

 

[dotr]

Regarding the hole in the fence through which JP apparently was watched and wondering, if there was a camera situated at the small hole, then removed immediately after the murder? speculation, imo.

 

[davidt]

Regarding the hole in the fence through which JP apparently was watched and wondering, if there was a camera situated at the small hole, then removed immediately after the murder? speculation, imo.

The Crimewatch reconstruction shows the hole being made shortly before the killing. Can't really see how they can know that though. I wondered if it could have been made previously and used to observe him for some time. I also wonder how long a person could be the other side of that fence without being seen? I know the property was secluded so perhaps there wouldn't usually be any passers by.

 

[dotr]

Hitman known as 'The Butcher' named in John 'Goldfinger' Palmer murder

New documentary claims Imre Arakas might have been hired by one of Palmer's former henchmen over fears the Brink's-Mat villain was planning to give evidence against him

www.mirror.co.uk

30 Sep 2025

''A hitman suspected of killing John "Goldfinger" Palmer at his mansion jetted in to the UK two weeks before the shooting.
Imre Arakas, dubbed The Butcher, might have been hired by one of Palmer’s former criminal associates, a new Sky documentary claims.''
''Arakas is said to have carried out dozens of contract killings and is serving a 10-year term for murdering a cage fighter in Lithuania.''

Sep 23, 2025 #skytv
''On June 24, 2015, notorious gangster John “Goldfinger” Palmer was found dead in his Essex garden, shot six times, with no witnesses and no forensic trail. Ten years later, his murder remains unsolved.This gripping Sky Documentaries series re-examines Palmer’s mysterious death and the theories behind it. Across three episodes, follow the investigation from Essex to Tenerife, Ireland, and Lithuania, uncovering Palmer’s criminal empire from the Brink’s-Mat gold heist to international scams and mafia connections.Featuring exclusive interviews with Palmer’s family and associates, and led by private investigators TM Eye, the series dives deep into the underworld to answer the question: Who killed Goldfinger?''

 

[Kasparthecat1]

Regarding the hole in the fence through which JP apparently was watched and wondering, if there was a camera situated at the small hole, then removed immediately after the murder? speculation, imo.

I'd also assumed that the hole was already there, and that Goldfinger was being surveilled over a period of time. But yes, there's a risk of being spotted, or the hole being discovered. So perhaps the hole was indeed drilled at the time of the murder as Crimewatch says. And i think the property was quite close to a path through the woods.

 

[Grouse]

A while ago I Iooked on google maps at the location in some detail and tried to match to various photos of the property and surrounding fence. What struck me was not just that it is a very secluded property, but that it's also surrounded on all sides by open/accessible land (with Keep Out signs at various spots), so I think it could have been quite easy for someone to scope it out over a period of time and observe the apparently regular bonfires and maybe work out there were no cameras down that end of the garden.

Edit: though having said that I am surprised that the dogs didn't sense anything.