UK UK - Karen Hales, 21, Ipswich, 21 November 1993

[trendsetter]

Here's the link to the Suffolk Constabulary's update: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/...les-murder-appeal-features-on-bbc-crimewatch/

 

[wtiger]

police are far too often pinning old offences on dead "suspects" imho - does this really provide proper closure or answers to anyone OR does it just make a cold case team look a worthwhile project?

getting these folks before they are dead would be much more impressive to me

 

[onebaddayaway]

What bugs me about this case it's that there's a (very remote) possibility that I might have known the murderer.

I only recently came across this case last year, while watching old Crimewatch UK episodes on YouTube. I saw the E-fit of the man seen running across London Road, shortly after the murder, and literally did the Leonardo DiCaprio meme. I worked at a pub in Ipswich (during the late 90s), and one of our regulars was an exact match for the picture. He was an odd character, nice enough at the start of the evening, but got really nasty after a few drinks. He evidently had some severe mental health problems, and possibly some issues around his sexuality (which, in retrospect, and looking at this case, might explain a penetrative method of murder, with no other elements of sexual assault).

I've given the police his first name, which (despite the fact that I'm sure I knew his full name back then, and despite trying everything I can to try to remember, from binge listening 90s music to focused meditation) is all I have.

He used to frequent several pubs in Ipswich in the late 90s, and wore a brown leather (or possibly suede) jacket.

It might be a wild goose chase, as the e-fit similarity could be a total coincidence, but am keeping an eye on this case, and hoping that the full name comes back to me.

 

[sportstergirl]

Onebaddayaway, well done. This could finally crack the case

 

[Westchester76]

What bugs me about this case it's that there's a (very remote) possibility that I might have known the murderer.

I only recently came across this case last year, while watching old Crimewatch UK episodes on YouTube. I saw the E-fit of the man seen running across London Road, shortly after the murder, and literally did the Leonardo DiCaprio meme. I worked at a pub in Ipswich (during the late 90s), and one of our regulars was an exact match for the picture. He was an odd character, nice enough at the start of the evening, but got really nasty after a few drinks. He evidently had some severe mental health problems, and possibly some issues around his sexuality (which, in retrospect, and looking at this case, might explain a penetrative method of murder, with no other elements of sexual assault).

I've given the police his first name, which (despite the fact that I'm sure I knew his full name back then, and despite trying everything I can to try to remember, from binge listening 90s music to focused meditation) is all I have.

He used to frequent several pubs in Ipswich in the late 90s, and wore a brown leather (or possibly suede) jacket.

It might be a wild goose chase, as the e-fit similarity could be a total coincidence, but am keeping an eye on this case, and hoping that the full name comes back to me.

Would he of known Karen Hales? There's a 35 minute window from the husband leaving for work, and Karen's parents arriving at the house. So the culprit was surely watching the house, and waiting for the husband to leave. So a targeted burglary / attack perhaps.
However..
1) This doesn't explain the unforced entry (if it was a burglary gone wrong). Why would a burglar target a house at 4pm on a Sunday with people at home.
2) Culprit didnt bring a weapon as she was killed by a knife in her own kitchen. So if it was a planned burglary, the culprit would of known he would of faced resistence as there were people at home. This is also the case if his only intention was to kill Karen.

For me, she knew her killer. He waited until the husband left and knocked on the door, and was invited in. Something happened, and then he murdered her.

 

[hannah246]

bump

 

[wtiger]

no serious burglar or sex attacker goes to an occupied property unarmed!