A murder mystery dating back to 1879 has been finally resolved aftera skull unearthed in BBC legend David Attenborough's garden was formally recognised as that of a woman murdered by her maid 132 years ago.
Julia Martha Thomas, a wealthy widow aged 55, was killed by her 29-year-old housekeeper Kate Webster very close to Park Road in well-to-do Richmond, but her head was never found.
The case became known as the 'Barnes Mystery', which gripped London at the time.
Webster, a convicted thief and fraudster, chopped up Thomas with an axe, boiled the remains and gave the dripping to local children to eat.
A box containing human flesh was found in the nearby River Thames days after the killing and one of the victim's feet was found on an allotment.
Friday, July 8, 2011
1879 London murder mystery solved
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