I can't think of one reason why it might have been Sheila

[BarefootDanC]

I can't think of one reason why it might have been Sheila

[Cambridgecutie]

I can't think of one reason why it might have been Sheila

Well all of EP, incl very senior officers eg Chief Sup Harris, the police surgeon and pathologist found nothing to contradict the murder/suicide theory.

The only dissenter at the early stages was DS Jones who perhaps unsurprisingly was involved with all the incriminating evidence eg silencer and JM's testimony.

[ILB]

Well all of EP, incl very senior officers eg Chief Sup Harris, the police surgeon and pathologist found nothing to contradict the murder/suicide theory.

The only dissenter at the early stages was DS Jones who perhaps unsurprisingly was involved with all the incriminating evidence eg silencer and JM's testimony.

DS Jones seemed to dislike JB from the very outset. His choice of words in the early hours of 7.8.85 to what was deemed at the time a man who had just lost his entire family in a shooting tragedy seemed oddly cold. At that stage he couldn't have formed an immediate impression that easily.

[ILB]

However it may just be a case of " coppers instinct" whether you believe it to be spot on or misguided.

[Cambridgecutie]

Seemed to dislike JB from the very outset. His choice of words to what was deemed at the time a man who had just lost his entire family in a shooting tragedy seemed oddly cold. At that stage he couldn't have formed an immediate impression that easily.

Yes.  And it was referred to at trial.  He also said something like if I am hard it is for a reason?  What is this supposed to mean?

We know very little about him: his background, childhood, schooling, family, friends, associates, any disciplinary record with police, any pre and post career outside EP, political views, membership of any groups etc, his mental health, etc, etc.   

We know he liked to consume alcohol on duty but this may have been par for the course at the time.  It was made reference to at trial and no one batted an eyelid. 

[ILB]

He also said something like if I am hard it is for a reason?  What is this supposed to mean?

I shudder to think

[Cambridgecutie]

However it may just be a case of " coppers instinct" whether you believe it to be spot on or misguided.

But if he was that good how come he didn't progress through the ranks?

It might be that he was motivated by money either through necessity or greed and seized on the fact there was money around.  The contents of NB's wallet appears to have disappeared which was small fry in comparison to the estate as a whole.  But he may have cut a deal with the likes of Peter Eaton.  I have always wondered about the conversation that took place when DS Jones collected the silencer from PE and the pair sat drinking whisky until the small hours 

[Cambridgecutie]

I shudder to think

 

[ILB]

Yes.  And it was referred to at trial.  He also said something like if I am hard it is for a reason?  What is this supposed to mean?

We know very little about him: his background, childhood, schooling, family, friends, associates, any disciplinary record with police, any pre and post career outside EP, political views, membership of any groups etc, his mental health, etc, etc.   

We know he liked to consume alcohol on duty but this may have been par for the course at the time.  It was made reference to at trial and no one batted an eyelid.

I think he viewed JB as somewhat a "Nancy boy " due to his middle class roots and posh voice. I think in his case it may have been a degree of classism. However I may be looking too much into it. Sometimes people just don't take to one another. As said its just strange he seemed to dislike from the initial outset.

[Cambridgecutie]

I think he viewed JB as somewhat a "Nancy boy " due to his middle class roots and posh voice. I think in his case it may have been a degree of classism. However I may be looking too much into it. Sometimes people just don't take to one another. As said its just strange he seemed to dislike from the initial outset.

Maybe.  Or maybe he would have been the same/similar with anyone. 

[Jane]

However it may just be a case of " coppers instinct" whether you believe it to be spot on or misguided.

Indeed so. And such cannot -must not!- be dismissed lightly. Aren't we always told to trust our instincts?

[Jane]

But if he was that good how come he didn't progress through the ranks?

It might be that he was motivated by money either through necessity or greed and seized on the fact there was money around.  The contents of NB's wallet appears to have disappeared which was small fry in comparison to the estate as a whole.  But he may have cut a deal with the likes of Peter Eaton.  I have always wondered about the conversation that took place when DS Jones collected the silencer from PE and the pair sat drinking whisky until the small hours 

Could be that -for various reasons- he chose not to. My friend's late husband made a similar choice because "progress through the ranks" would have meant moving his entire family away from thir support group.

Speaking of conversations, I'd be interested to know what form conversation took between Sheila and JB when he drove her home from the party, and the afternoon prior to the massacre when she and the boys spoke to him whilst he was in the tractor?............but of course, we never will.

[Jane]

I think he viewed JB as somewhat a "Nancy boy " due to his middle class roots and posh voice. I think in his case it may have been a degree of classism. However I may be looking too much into it. Sometimes people just don't take to one another. As said its just strange he seemed to dislike from the initial outset.

Haven't we all met people that we've taken an instant dislike to? Despite that we may feel this is unreasonable, it's difficult to dismiss. More so, if someone's approach to us is causing hackles to rise.

[Roch]

I can't think of one reason why it might have been Sheila

My theory is she wanted herself and her babies to be on the other side.

Neville and June were killed for one or two reasons. Either they interfered in preventing Sheila from completing her task or she had delusions that they needed to be killed - or a combination of both.

When everyone was dead, Sheila was left alone with all the corpses in the house, ruminating about what she had done; and not quite able to kill herself to join the twins. When the police broke in or where about to break in, Sheila was faced with either completing her task or facing life in a criminal, mental institution, separated from her children.

However in this scenario there might have been a shot heard by police downstairs - unless the commotion they created in the kitchen masked the sound of the shot.

[ILB]

Haven't we all met people that we've taken an instant dislike to? Despite that we may feel this is unreasonable, it's difficult to dismiss. More so, if someone's approach to us is causing hackles to rise.

Indeed I have , usually after spending five minutes in their company. I'm sure many have felt the same way about me. But in this instance at the point in time it was a bereaved relative and detective. The latter had no reason to suspect the former at the time. It just seems they got off on a rocky road from the outset.