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In this episode, I tell the story of Avril Dunn, a 26-year-old woman murdered in Luton, Bedfordshire, on September 14, 1985.
Avril went to The Heron, a local pub, that Saturday evening and was seen playing darts with some of the other regulars.
Leaving at around 10.30 pm, Avril is thought to have been seen in the company of a tall, fair-haired man who drove away from the pub in a light-coloured Opel Manta.
Her body was found at 7:30 am the following day. Still, her killer wouldn't be caught until thirteen years later when advances in DNA technology allowed scientists to match samples recovered from Avril's clothes to one of their key suspects at the time of her murder.
Duncan Jackson, a father of four, was found guilty of Avril's murder in January 2000 and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years.
Chillingly, Duncan took part in reenacting Avril's case in the March 1986 episode of Crimewatch UK.
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Intro music:
David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'
linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic
References:
Case reopens. (1998, September 15). Gloucester Citizen, 8.
Dad’s plea. (1985, September 19). Birmingham Mail, 11.
Death: Man is charged. (1998, September 16). Lincolnshire Echo, 4.
DNA breakthrough solves murder, court told. (2000, January 12). BBC News. Retrieved September 4, 2023, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/600742.stm
DNA traps killer after 14 years. (2000, January 27). BBC News. Retrieved September 4, 2023, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/621172.stm
Duncan Jackson. (n.d.). Murder in the UK. Retrieved September 4, 2023, from https://www.murderuk.com/duncan-jackson.html
Hunt for killer. (1985, September 16). Bristol Evening Post, 3.
Jackson, Re setting of minimum term an application under Criminal Justice Act 2003, [2011] EWHC 1628 (QB) | England and Wales High Court (Queen’s Bench Division). (2011, July 6). Casemine. Retrieved September 4, 2023, from https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5a8ff7cb60d03e7f57eb2299
Jankiewicz, A. (2000, January 28). Scotswoman’s killer trapped by DNA test. The Scotsman, 6.
Man quizzed. (1998, September 15). Aberdeen Press and Journal, 6.
Morpurgo, P. (Director). (1986, March 27). Crimewatch UK (season 3, episode 3). BBC.
Murder charge - thirteen years on. (1998, September 20). Luton on Sunday, 7.
Police hunt savage killer. (1985, September 16). Coventry Evening Telegraph, 4.
Rafferty, S. (2000, January 13). New DNA tests linked man to murder 14 years ago, court hold. The Scotsman, 7.
Town in fear of a killer. (1985, September 17). Daily Mirror, 5.
