UK UK - Melanie Hall, 25, Bath, Somerset, 9 June 1996

[Rookie D]

Is it my imagination
that father of the victim suspects someone?



I mean
he alludes (in one of the reports in this thread) the murderer comes from some kind of criminal family in the neighborhood.
Does this mean the person he is alluding to has a perfect alibi provided by family?
Was there some feud going on?

The latest warning from Police also sounds as if they suspect who the perp is.
Why would they re-interview all who had provided alibi earlier?

Did the perp have contacts with the victim previously?
What kind of relationship was it?
Why would Police want to talk to victim's roommate she was sharing accommodation with?
Was the murderer a frequent guest there?

Police suggest some people are hiding important information connected to the case.

What exactly was the motive of this murder?

JMO

I also got the impression that Melanie's father is implying that he knows more about the identity of the killer than is known in the public domain.

A criminal family is a possibility.

But what other types of people/families could be possibly considered as difficult.
Well perhaps the killer was the son of a local farmer, landowner, or perhaps even a member of the travelling community.

Or the son of a clinical consultant connected to the Royal United Hospital in Bath at which Melanie worked?

Or perhaps, if the killer was from a family that consisted of some police personnel, then that could also be the reason for the case having remained unsolved for so long.


It's almost as though the police already know who the killer is, but are just trying to call the killer's bluff by trying to suggest in no uncertain terms that they will come in force and knock on the killer's door IF the killer chooses not to come forward and own up to the murder.

 

[tes1984]

Is it my imagination
that father of the victim suspects someone?

As you say, he has alluded to a criminal family. It depends if he's talking in general or specific terms.

Melanie's sister said she didn't have a clue what happened to Melanie.

The police obviously have their theories, JMO but I wouldn't completely rule out a stranger murder or a lone offender. The DCI said he has now identified 'all the suspects', but I'm not so confident and there have been a lot of false dawns in this case.

 

[Dotta]

I'm beginning to suspect some feud between families.
Was the perp a teen sweetheart of Melanie, but met with opposition of her family because he came from dodgy background?
Or was the relationship different?

Was this murder some kind of revenge?
I mean
a random sexual pervert rarely destroys face of the victim.

This seems personal to me,
very personal
with raging negative emotions.
Melanie was disposed like trash by this murderer.
And her face was destroyed


JMO

 

[rvlvr]

It depends if she knows he has left the club. Was there an argument or confrontation? Or did Philip storm off without her realising?

If she's had a row and dumped Philip, and didn't want to go back to her parent's, then wouldn't she have asked her friends if she could stay with them when they left the club?

Yeah, I’ve always been under the impression he saw her dancing with another guy and just left? And that she was none the wiser? I think her friends left some time after this and I don’t think they’d have left her there alone, so it seems no one knew he’d gone?

I suppose she hung around for a while waiting for him to return and when he didn’t she then struck up conversation with someone else. Of course it’s possible she separated from this guy and someone else preyed upon her afterwards, and perhaps silk shirt guy hasn’t come forwards for fear of being fingered for the crime?

But if the sighting of the ‘couple’ arguing on the street outside was Melanie and silk shirt guy he does seem the likeliest suspect. There’s perhaps an assumption from some who knew Melanie that she wouldn’t have left with someone she didn’t know and therefore her killer must’ve been known to her in some way but I’m not sure parents in particular are the best judges of what their kids would/wouldn’t do, imo.

 

[Dotta]

As you say, he has alluded to a criminal family. It depends if he's talking in general or specific terms.

Melanie's sister said she didn't have a clue what happened to Melanie.

The police obviously have their theories, JMO but I wouldn't completely rule out a stranger murder or a lone offender. The DCI said he has now identified 'all the suspects', but I'm not so confident and there have been a lot of false dawns in this case.

Re "stranger murder"

Then why would people be suspected by Police
of hiding information
if the murder was random and opportunistic?
(By somebody unknown to the victim)

There seems to me hidden agenda in this case,
a deadly secret involving others.

Or is my imagination running riot...again???

JMO

 

[Dotta]

Besides...
This evening in the club seems peculiar IMO

I mean
it started typical.
2 pairs decided to spend time in a club.

OK.

But then...
- A doc goes out (to the bathroom)
- M. starts to dance with another man.
- Doc rages with jealousy and storms out.
- The other pair vanishes leaving M. alone without transport home.
- M sits alone as if waiting.
- She meets another guy smartly dressed
(not the man she was dancing with)
and leaves with him.
She probably knows him.
- They are seen in the street talking and later arguing.
- A witness said she goes reluctantly to the parking lot with the man.

Who leaves a girl alone in the middle of the night in the club without transport home???
What company of friends do this?
Why didn't she ask for a lift home the other pair?

What exactly was going on there???

Curiouser & curiouser.

JMO