UK UK- Lynda Farrow, 29, pregnant, Battered/throat slashed @ home, Woodford Green, London, Jan 1979

[dotr]

I've been searching unsolved murders in the 1970s and 1980s, especially those in or around London and any associated with Peter Sutcliffe, the fact that the victims of the unknown murderer in this case, have being picked out previously as possible Ripper victims, means that looking at murder victims previously believed to have been killed by Sutcliffe in the London area, yet not proved, could victims of this guy instead. I believe the fact they are unsolved yet suspected victims of Sutcliffe means there is no DNA evidence.

Murders of Eve Stratford and Lynne Weedon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Elizabeth Parravincina is an extremely strong contender. Geographically, physically, age wise, glamour wise, how she was killed and the fact this was so similar and near to Lynne Weedon.

It's interesting to note that the murder of Patsy Morris has also been possibly linked when she was the childhood gf of Levi Belfield and he has long been a suspect of murdering her, he was 12 at the time, he also hated blondes and his MO with blunt force trauma matches some of these. It's almost like he was taught by the perpetrator of these crimes.

Edited for typos

Started thread..

UK - UK- Elizabeth Parravincina/Parravicini, 27, amateur actress, fatally struck from behind w blunt instrument, as she walked on Osterley Rd, 9 Sept. 1977

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Eve_Stratford_and_Lynne_Weedon Elizabeth Parravincina Parravincina, c. January–September 1977 Born 1949 or 1950 England Died September 9, 1977 (age 27) Outside Parklands flats, Osterley Road, Osterley, London, England 51.47985899872692°N...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Pinkizzy]

The killer walked to and from the murder scene in size 9 boots with snow on the ground. He may have had size 7 feet and layered up his socks to fill size 9 boots to fool the police - it was Sutcliffe IMO

 

[dotr]

The killer walked to and from the murder scene in size 9 boots with snow on the ground. He may have had size 7 feet and layered up his socks to fill size 9 boots to fool the police - it was Sutcliffe IMO

"Clear set of footprints" @9:30

 

[jojojaja]

The killer walked to and from the murder scene in size 9 boots with snow on the ground. He may have had size 7 feet and layered up his socks to fill size 9 boots to fool the police - it was Sutcliffe IMO

They have PS and the killers DNA on the database, as has already been stated in past posts discussing this, if it was Sutcliffe the DNA would have matched, it didn't.

 

[Pinkizzy]

Unsolved Murders - Murder UK - List Of Unsolved Murders In England

List of Unsolved Murders

www.unsolved-murders.co.uk

 

[tes1984]

Very strange case. I don't think they have DNA though.
Colin Sutton has just released a new documentary, and says the police lost the exhibits.
According to the new documentary, the forensics in the case may be a palm print, rather than a DNA sample.

 

[jojojaja]

I nailed Levi Bellfield, I'll prove serial killer is behind West End Murders

SOME detectives have an unsolved case which still torments them years after they have retired. For Colin Sutton, it is the murders of two young women and a girl of 16 in the 1970s by a serial kille…

www.thesun.co.uk

I was questioning myself if I was spelling Lynda wrong by putting an I not a y.

Lynda was experience domestic abuse and violence before leaving her husband, his eyesight was going and his diabetes getting worse, his daughters had to help him when they went to live with him because he didn't look after himself. The plan had been for Lynda to be trained as a croupier so that she could take over the role of being main breadwinner. However when she got sick of the abuse, she found a man,

got pregnant and said she wasn't going to fund him anymore.

 

[jojojaja]

I nailed Levi Bellfield, I'll prove serial killer is behind West End Murders

SOME detectives have an unsolved case which still torments them years after they have retired. For Colin Sutton, it is the murders of two young women and a girl of 16 in the 1970s by a serial kille…

www.thesun.co.uk

I was questioning myself if I was spelling Lynda wrong by putting an I not a y.

Lynda was experience domestic abuse and violence before leaving her husband, his eyesight was going and his diabetes getting worse, his daughters had to help him when they went to live with him because he didn't look after himself. The plan had been for Lynda to be trained as a croupier so that she could take over the role of being main breadwinner. However when she got sick of the abuse, she found a man,

got pregnant and said she wasn't going to fund him anymore.

According to the account of Lynda's daughter who first saw her Mum's body through the letterbox, she could see the back door was wide open from where she was. The boot prints in the snow led up to the front door, then they went to a side gate and the path going down the side of the house to the back door.
There is a possibility the killer came in through the back door, the knife he used was from the kitchen.

 

[jojojaja]

Very strange case. I don't think they have DNA though.
Colin Sutton has just released a new documentary, and says the police lost the exhibits.
According to the new documentary, the forensics in the case may be a palm print, rather than a DNA sample.

Sorry only just saw your reply. I don't think the series has had info filter out yet. I am glad it has made the dna point clearer. I've always been bothered by the wishy washy info on DNA til now. I think I would believe former police who were part of those who reviewed her case and actually saw what was there than an old magazine article.
Well he mentions fingers too, but doesn't specifically say fingerprints. The footprints are forensics too. They have the size and type of footwear.
They say at some point the direction of the throat slashes point out to it being a left handed person in both Eve and Lynda's cases, if cut from behind.
I am not sure if it's Crimewatch, but something I saw said it was a right handed person despite mentioned the same direction throat cut as this documentary and I thought cutting someone's throat from the front seems odd, awkward, have they got confused here.

 

[jojojaja]

WOODFORD GRN: Farrow murder - daughter speaks of horrific discovery

THE daughter of a young mum murdered in her home 30 years ago has spoken of the horrific moment she discovered her dead mother, as part of a new…

www.guardian-series.co.uk

I gave up trying to copy and paste the one section here in regard of the Crimewatch and police info, so screenshot it instead.
They're trying to tempt someone to speak, allegiances may have changed plus there's this large reward.
After watching West End Murders with the three former police inspectors, I can see a wider picture to the inference of who could be involved in Lynda's death and that the estranged husband may not have even needed to have been involved in, or need to ask for someone doing something on his behalf. Trying to word that carefully, so may be an awkward read.

 

[jojojaja]

Last updated 27 January 2009

Mother's death 'contract killing'

"A mother-of-two murdered in her east London home 30 years ago may have been the victim of a contract killing, police believe.

Lynda Farrow, 29, was stabbed to death in her home in Woodford on 19 January 1979 and found by her young daughters.

The detective leading the investigation said she believed the killer was hired to carry out the murder.

Det Ch Insp Rebecca Hamilton said their were several factors that signalled a premeditated contract murder.

They include the location of the murder, the short timescale that the killer had and the brutal nature of the attack.

Nothing stolen

Mrs Hamilton said nothing was stolen and the murder weapon was left at the scene in a pool of blood.

"There is nothing in her background, but it is just such a violent murder. It has happened over a fairly short amount of time from when she came home.

"My perspective that it is perhaps a contract killing is because it was a very cold-blooded murder. It is not a frenzied attack."

The detective's comments came as Ms Farrow's 83-year-old mother, Gladys Hayes, appealed for witnesses or new information to identify her daughter's killer.

Mrs Hamilton said the victim's estranged husband, who was almost blind as a result of his diabetes and is now dead, has not been ruled out as a suspect.

The couple were in the middle of an acrimonious split as they fought over custody of their two daughters, aged eight and 11.

Mrs Farrow was also four months pregnant at the time of her death.

The former casino croupier had a new boyfriend and was attempting to move on with her life, police said.

The detective said: "Having reviewed and investigated this case over a long period of time I am still open-minded as to whether he (her husband) had any involvement or whether it has been arranged by somebody else for a reason that we do not know."

She added she was hopeful the latest appeal for information, to be aired on BBC's Crimewatch programme on Tuesday, might provide what she termed the "golden nugget" that breaks the case.

Police have announced a £20,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction."

The police have to keep an open mind. I have noticed they are more tight lipped than ever before in commenting on unproven cases.
Police have in the past openly stated in the past that they think Lynda and Eve are connected. That there may be a contract killing....

 

[jojojaja]

Evening News (London)

29th June 1979

The police only have one clue, a palm print, which may not even be the killers. (It doesn't mention the footprints, shoe size and type of shoe)

The killer must have knelt on her back as he practically sawed her head off with a kitchen knife, serrated blade. Something I think mentioned on West End Murders, the jagged blade would have prevented a clean slicing action.
It says there was no sign of a struggle. I believe they mean when using the knife on her neck as we all know she fought like hell previous to that. I am guessing she was either knocked out or very dazed. I recall there was bruising on her face and blows to the back of her head, need to check those details.

Detective Chief Superintendent George Hayter told the Walthamstow Coroner that 1700 people had been interviewed and given statements but they were not close to an arrest.
Haytor also suggested that the person who killed Lynda had also killed Eve Stratford 5 miles away and 3½years earlier, due to the distinctive similarity of their deaths.

Pathologist Dr Alan Grant said that he found Lynda in a pool of blood on the floor of the hallway. Spurts of blood on the walls above the skirting board suggested that her throat was cut while she was lying on the floor.
Apart from one of her trouser legs being pulled up, there was no interference with her clothing.
There was slight bruising to the base of her back which may have been made by the killer kneeling.
The cut to her throat was not a single cut, it was a sawing action.
There were cuts on Lynda's thumbs indicating an attempt to grab the knife.
All fingerprints in the house were accounted for but the palm prints, which he said may or may not have been the killers.
It's supposed by the police that the killer may be something to do with family, where she worked as a groupie or a casual caller. They have ruled out the first two and are working on the third possibility. (Er just because Paul had an alibi, where were the others like Paul's brother?)
They police say they still had more people to talk to but are not hopeful of an arrest.
The coroner Dr Harold Price recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

 

[dotr]

Oct 11, 2024
This 4-part limited series is led by Colin Sutton and is a story that he’s wanted to tell for many years. Now he can.Lynda Farrow, Eve Stratford and Lynne Weedon are names that go largely unknown but their violent deaths link them in a way no one could imagine. For over 40 years, these murders have gone unsolved but what if Colin and a team of former detectives can uncover new evidence that leads to a suspect? It’s never too late.

 

[jojojaja]

I will try and find out the type of car if it's given, that the three people were said to be in. Also the occupants of the car were said to be Ray or Raymon Farrow, Dennis Facey and Douglas Whittaker (Dougie, motorbike, best friend of Paul)
Raymon was Paul (Lynda's husband) Farrow's brother, Dennis Facey was married to Paul's sister and was the person seen watching Lynda and her bf at his market stall that day. All this according to West End Murders, and Lynda's Mother, and daughters.
Even if there was a different motive in Lynda's death, it doesn't rule out that the killer may have been the same person.
A new witness came forward in the tv series, she was a schoolgirl at the time and was extremely shy, possibly scared and something I read also gave the impression her parents didn't want her to come forward. After school was out the girl would wait on Chiltern Way for her mother to come collect her as she lived in Chingford, she would be doing that for at least 4 years. The day of Lynda's murder she saw a man walking out of Chiltern Way as she was walking into it, he was so uncharacteristic of anyone she had ever seen on that street that she stared at him. The man was white, no sign of a tan and no facial hair, had dark, straight long hair between shoulder and waist length. Dressed entirely in black, with black boots. A leather or heavy duty jacket. The girl had only ever seen middle age to elderly people, middle class people on that street and in top of the distinctive way this man dressed made him stand out. The man seemed late 20s to early 30s, though she admits an 11 year old would be a bad judge of age. The man was looking at her angrily so she broke her gaze, feeling she shouldn't have been staring. The man left Chiltern Way onto Whitehall Road, turning right. He was carrying a bag containing something in his left hand.

I gather from the hints given in the show that the description could match Douglas Whittaker, a motorbike riding friend of Lynda's husband, who had been seen in the white car watching and following Lynda earlier.
It's possible through fence or wall hopping to have got to Chiltern Way from the rear of Lynda's home.

Raymon Farrow was a car dealer and probably could make cars disappear, Levi Bellfield certainly could.
Raymond's wife was a best friend of Lynda, according to her daughters, she was the only person their Mum socialised with after leaving their father, everyone commented that Valerie, Ray's wife adored Lynda. So it was odd that Raymond sent his wife away in holiday before this happened. So had he and his car had blood etc on, he had time to clean up and get rid.

(EDIT: I forgot to add, Raymon had a scratch on his face when talked to after Lynda's murder, but he explained it away as having fallen in the snow, rather than a defence wound from Lynda)

West End Murders (2024) ⭐ 7.1 | Crime

West End Murders: Directed by Sacha Bennett. With Sarah Alexandra Marks, Colin Sutton, Kieran Chalker, Ruby Bennett. In West End Murders, former Metropolitan Police DCI Colin Sutton gathers a team of detectives and uses first-hand knowledge to re-open and re-investigate three troubling cold case...

m.imdb.com

This was written in reply to someone on Eve Stratford's thread where discussion about Lynda often appears due to the similarities.

D

UK Thread 'UK- Eve Stratford, 21, Bunny @ Playboy Club, posed for mag. cover, later her mutilated & grotesquely staged body found @ home, London 18/03/75 *DNA*'

Dec 14, 2022

By Holly Evans
November 2022 rbbm.
lengthy article.

Murdered Playboy Bunny found with throat slit in flat as killer on the loose

Eve Stratford's mutilated body was discovered by her boyfriend at her flat in Leyton, just an hour after detectives believe she was killed

www.mylondon.news

''In a case described as one of the most horrific seen by detectives, the sadistic murder of a German model shocked everyone who knew her. Eve Stratford had been a popular figure in the London nightlife scene until she was attacked at her flat in East London, with her throat slashed from ear to ear.

The 21-year-old was discovered by her boyfriend just an hour after her neighbour had heard a loud thudding...

• dotr
• Replies: 389
• Forum: Cold Cases

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[jojojaja]

I have used a cropped still from the preview seen in #33 I obviously can't screenshot the version they did in the series, they made a digital graphic of Lynda's house and recreated the footprints as Lynda's youngest daughter saw when arriving at the house. Nobody had been there between the killer, her and her friend. Lynda's footprints would have lead from the car to the right, to the front door.
Justine said she could see directly ahead of her through the letterbox, through the house, that the back door was wide open. Lynda was on the floor directly in front of the front door, feet in the direction of her.
Justine considered going around the house to the back, but she had seen the footprints going in one direction only, from the front door, through the gate and onto the path down the side of the house to the garden, she decided against it as the man who had made the footprints and hurt her mother may still be there.

It's not a work of art, it's just to give a visual idea of what faced her.
The girl who heard the screaming and the front door slam said she looked into the driveway and is sure she remembered seeing the footprints.

It seems nobody thought to treat the place like a crime scene and preserve an area to photograph, I think had they done so, it may have given measurements of the stride and this may have helped work out the height and walking pattern?
Thus a photo of just one footprint as seen on Crimewatch.

 

[jojojaja]

I only just realised the wrong month in the header, it should say January.

Anyway, sunset 19th January 1979 in the London area was 16:26 in the afternoon. This photo on the link of Lynda's house could have been anytime after 4.26pm and you can see footsteps leading to the gate, side of the house, however you can also see a lot of people trudged all over the original footprints.

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[tes1984]

It seems nobody thought to treat the place like a crime scene and preserve an area to photograph, I think had they done so, it may have given measurements of the stride and this may have helped work out the height and walking pattern?
Thus a photo of just one footprint as seen on Crimewatch.

The police did treat the place like a crime scene. It was the horrendous weather which prevented them taking more photos of footprints.

 

[jojojaja]

The police did treat the place like a crime scene. It was the horrendous weather which prevented them taking more photos of footprints.

From descriptions of witnesses, all sorts of people were tramping back and forth. The one footprint photo is pretty clear despite the weather, so why didn't they take photos of more than that?
The only photos I have seen are after neighbours, friends, family, medics, police and others have trampled through.
There is no sign in them of anyone preventing entry.

 

[tes1984]

From descriptions of witnesses, all sorts of people were tramping back and forth. The one footprint photo is pretty clear despite the weather, so why didn't they take photos of more than that?
The only photos I have seen are after neighbours, friends, family, medics, police and others have trampled through.
There is no sign in them of anyone preventing entry.

The police obviously don't release all the photos they take at crime scenes.

 

[jojojaja]

The police obviously don't release all the photos they take at crime scenes.

True. But if the footprints went from the front door around the back in one direction only, that would appear to be his entry point.
from the fight she put up, from the witness that heard the scream and door slam stating that the only way she could explain it, was like two kids playing, one chasing the other, the one reaching the door and opening it and the other catching up slamming the door shut, from the position Lynda was in and the fact the knife came from the kitchen. All that to me says he entered through the back door, grabbed the knife, surprised her, she fought back and ran, to try and escape in the opposite direction through the front door and he both stopped that and knocked her or dragged her to the floor.
I can't recall the other injuries, although they thought she had tried to grab the knife, but she had obviously been hit about and there were head injuries. I think maybe to subdue her and get her under control. I am hoping she was knocked out or dazed when he started with the knife.