Homeowner reveals her shock after the body of the man who was murdered in the 1960s was found buried in her yard by construction workers 14 months after she moved in
- The man was found dismembered in the yard and in a five-foot shallow grave
- Scotland Yard has now released an e-fit image and is seeking information
A woman who bought a £1 million house is shocked after construction workers discover the body of a 1960s murder victim 14 months after she moved in.
On September 28, 2017, builders found the human remains after work on a kitchen extension in the homeowner’s garden in Wimbledon, London.
Scotland Yard said the man, found in a shallow grave just a foot deep, had been dismembered and suffered significant and traumatic head injuries.
Police are now appealing to anyone who may have information about the victim and have released an e-fit to help identify him.
The woman, who lives in a four-bed Victorian terrace in Cowdrey Road, said at first they thought the bones were fake and from a model skeleton.
The man, who was found in a shallow grave just a foot deep, had been dismembered and had significant and traumatic head injuries.
With his body, the builders found a shirt, tie and trousers, believed to be from the 1960s or 1970s.
She said she was in shock when they also found a shirt, tie and trousers in the grave with the victim.
“We called the police and the forensic investigators came, it was like we were in the middle of a crime drama,” she told the Evening Standard.
The human remains were exhumed and an autopsy concluded that the victim had been bludgeoned and died of a head wound.
Scotland Yard said: ‘Radiocarbon dating indicated the decedent probably went into the ground in the early 1960s.
An anthropologist’s biological profile indicated that the deceased was male and likely of Asian descent, probably in the 35-55 age range, about 5’7 tall, and probably muscular or more robust in stature due to distinct and well-developed muscle attachments on a number of bones.
“There is a strong possibility that the deceased had some form of medical intervention to the head – probably trepanning (drilling a hole in the skull with a sharp instrument) or neurosurgery because there are circular defects to the skull that had previously healed.” till death.
“There is no evidence of dentistry and the deceased was probably on a sugar-free diet for a while.
Scotland Yard is appealing to anyone who has information on the victim and has released an e-fit to help identify him
“Although the deceased was dismembered, he was also smartly dressed with a shirt and red silk tie, trousers, shoes and socks. The clothing was examined by an expert who indicated that the clothing was typical for the 1960s to 1970s.’
Superintendent Kate Kieran said they had traced all previous occupants of the property, whose DNA did not match that of the victim.
She said, “Someone needs to know who the victim is. We’d like to give him a name… This is a 60-year-old mystery and information can help us solve it.’
