UK UK - Susan Donoghue, 44, Bristol, 4 Aug 1976

[MelmothTheLost]

Bristol police make breakthrough in cold case murder

Detectives hunting the killer of a nurse bludgeoned to death at her home 40 years ago have made a DNA breakthrough.

Susan Donoghue was sexually assaulted and killed with a truncheon by an intruder in Bristol on 4 August 1976.

The body of the 44-year-old was discovered in her basement flat by her partner. Donoghue had been unwell and had taken the night off from work when she was attacked in bed as she slept. She was hit seven times with a truncheon, which was left behind along with a pair of bloodstained gloves and a tobacco tin. Despite an extensive investigation the killer was never caught.

But due to advances in scientific technology Avon and Somerset police now have a full DNA profile of the suspect.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/04/bristol-police-make-breakthrough-in-cold-case

(I wasn't sure where to put this and couldn't find an earlier thread. If it's in the wrong place can the mods please move it?)

 

[MelmothTheLost]

DNA breakthrough in the hunt to find killer of nurse bludgeoned to death 40 years ago

Susan Donoghue was sexually assaulted and killed with a truncheon by an intruder at her home in Bristol on August 5 1976.

The body of the 44-year-old, who was a night sister at Brentry Hospital, was discovered in her basement flat by her partner.

She had been unwell and had taken the night off from work when she was attacked in bed as she slept.

Ms Donoghue was hit seven times with a truncheon, which was left behind along with a pair of bloodstained gloves and a tobacco tin.

The summer of 1976 was one of the warmest on record and the murder shocked Bristol.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/69...eoned-death-bristol-detectives-Susan-Donoghue

 

[dotr]

Bumping..
1 JAN 2018
Nurse battered to death with truncheon and sexually assaulted

Nurse Susan Donoghue (top right) was battered to death and sexually assaulted in her Bristol flat
"Susan was a lovely woman who had trained as a nurse and left Ireland. There were a number of suspects at the time of her death, but obviously none of them were ever brought to justice."
"Their investigation also saw the discovery of a hallmarked silver bracelet, thought to belong to the Irish nurse who worked at Brentry Hospital, found in the garden of a house in Stoke Hill.

Evidence suggested that Susan had been subjected to a sexual assault and forensic tests confirmed the presence of human semen."

"I am convinced that someone out there has information on what happened that August night in 1976. I would appeal directly to them, or the killer himself, to come forward now and bring an end to the years of heartache Susan's family and friends have had to endure."
"Anyone with information is asked to call 101 now and quote Operation Radar. Alternatively, information can be left anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

 

[dotr]

Nurse battered to death with truncheon and sexually assaulted
A truncheon like the one found at the scene of Susan Donoghue's murder

 

[dotr]

Eager to learn what became of the full DNA, have they identified the perp yet?
rbbm.
Nurse battered to death with truncheon and sexually assaulted
Jan 2018
"The technology used in DNA forensics has come a long way since Susan was murdered and we now have a full DNA profile of the man who sexually abused and murdered her," she said.''
2016

 

[dotr]

Could DNA solve the murder of a nurse 40 years ago? | ITV News
''Detectives collected evidence at the time - including the murderer's gloves, a tobacco tin he dropped.''

Police collected evidence at the scene, including the killer's DNA Credit: Avon & Somerset Police
''They have had a DNA profile of the killer, but there is no match on the National DNA Register.''
rbbm

 

[ChocolateChip]

Familial dna search?

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Susan - it's now been 37 years.

 

[tes1984]

This is a real under the radar case.

For me a key question is why doesn't the killer take the cosh, gloves and tobacco with him.

The killer is (for the era) clearly aware of forensics, yet he leaves evidence behind.

Is he scared of being stopped with anything incriminating on his way home?

 

[tes1984]

This case reminds me of the bedsit murder of Wendy Knell in 1987.

Wendy was killed by David Fuller. The DNA from Susan's murder doesn't match Fuller, but I think the offender will be somewhat similar to him. As Dr Richard Badcock said: "Necrophilia, that's it. There's nowhere else to go after that".

Fuller was a creeper burglar, but the police missed his convictions (which were in a different region) and the fact that five years earlier he had lived in the same road as Wendy Knell.

Creeper burglars often prowl in comfort zones where they grew up, or used to live/work. I wouldn't be surprised if Susan's killer turns out to have lived in that part of Bristol a few years prior to 1976, or if he has burglary convictions from a region outside Avon and Somerset.

 

[tes1984]

David Fuller abducted Caroline Pierce, his second victim, so he could spend more time with the body after the murder.

You have to wonder if Susan's killer also 'graduated' to abduction murder, although there haven't been any additional crimes linked so far.

Fuller stopped killing once he had access to corpses at the hospital where he worked.

Susan worked in a hospital, and police looked at her work colleagues. I wonder if they checked those who had access all areas passes, or men who worked, or went on to work, in local funeral parlours.