Post by geoffbates on Sept 8, 2017 15:12:12 GMT
Beatrice Rowell aged 85 was murdered in her flat in Totnes Road Paignton Devon on 1st January 19 82. She had been stabbed by an intruder and had almost be decapitated by her assailant. Beatrice was found by members of her family. A murder enquiry was set in motion an 60 Detectives were gathered to hunt for the killer. A bloodstained sock was found on a public seat opposite the murder scene. This type of sock could only be purchased at selected outlets of Marks and Spencer one of which was the garrison town of Colchester in Essex. A serving soldier Peter Edmonds had been arrested for a previous burglary at a public house in Paignton and he became a suspect for the murder. On 10th January 1982 Edmonds was visited by Detectives at his sisters house in Kingsbridge Devon and was found in possession of an identical pair of socks as the one found near the scene of the murder. When questioned he falsely claimed he had purchased the socks in Kingsbridge. He was arrested and admitted the murder and was charged at his trial he was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life. Subsequently h was committed to a high security hospital for the criminally insane. I was th arresting and reporting officer in the case when I was Detective Sergeant at Paignton.
