THE MURDER MYSTERY OF ASHLEY SAUNDERS

After a baffling search for many days, how a small piece of evidence helped detectives unravel one of the most calculated, cold-blooded murder in British criminal history.

A Grisly Discovery

She was found face down in a four-meter pool of blood — a young woman dressed in a nurse's uniform, her arms raised above her head as if in a gesture of surrender. Ashley Saunders, 24, had just completed her night shift at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, England, when her life was tragically cut short, sometime before 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 31, 1991. An empty pill container rested near her right hand, while a crumpled piece of paper lay beside her left. On the concrete floor of the storeroom, a blood-soaked one-kilo lump hammer was found nearby.

The Crime Scene

Detective Superintendent Austin Lamott paused at the doorway of the storeroom. A robust, white-haired man of 47, with extensive experience from approximately 50 murder investigations, he carefully surveyed the area: a spacious workbench on one side and stacks of building materials on the other. There were no indications of forced entry or a struggle.

He and his partner, Detective Superintendent Thomas Todd, 51, entered the room with caution. They discovered that the kitchen door was locked, with a key lying at its base. They then retraced their steps through the storeroom's outer door into the cobbled alley behind 179 Gidlow Lane, making their way to the front of the two-story terraced house.

Inside the hallway, they found the victim's handbag, knitting bag, nurse's cap, and coat. In the main bedroom upstairs, Lamott noticed an alarm clock similar to his own — reliable for keeping time, yet notoriously inaccurate for its alarm function.

Ashley Saunders: A Life Cut Short

Ashley Saunders, an attractive woman with dark hair and a charming, somewhat toothy smile, was well-liked in Wigan's tight-knit community. Known for her cheerful and sociable nature, she was always eager to assist others. Prior to her nursing career, she had volunteered at the hospital. A talented pianist, she dedicated much of her time to teaching music. She shared a close bond with her widowed mother, often opting to vacation with her and her aunt rather than with her peers, even in her late teens.

In June 1989, she wed Harry Saunders, her childhood sweetheart from their school days. Harry, who was more reserved and academically inclined than Ashley, pursued a law degree and became a qualified solicitor in September 1990. The following month, he began his career with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), where he was responsible for preparing criminal cases for trial.

Both Harry and Ashley earned admiration in their community for their leadership roles in the Scout and Guide packs associated with St Michael’s Church. Their bond was evident to those around them; he gifted her an eternity ring for their first wedding anniversary, while she consistently baked him a cake for his birthday.

Although Ashley's choice to leave her local government position to pursue a nursing career resulted in a decrease in their household income, Harry remained supportive. A friend remarked, “Ashley always seemed to be laughing when Harry was around.”

Harry Saunders: The Grieving Husband?

Now, at 26 years old, Harry, who was slim, dark-haired, and had a round, almost youthful face, sat in a CID office at Wigan police station, recounting how their seemingly perfect life had abruptly turned into a nightmare. He had taken three days off to convert a storeroom into a garage. The night before, he had gone out with friends Rudy Skelt and Xander Skinner to visit local pubs. The next morning, his alarm rang at 10:02 a.m. Ashley should have returned home by then, as her shift ended at 7:45. However, only their cat, Bobo, occupied her side of the bed. After quickly dressing, he went downstairs to search for her. Ashley was nowhere to be found.

Upon conducting a more detailed search of the house, he was perplexed to discover that he could not access the storeroom from the kitchen. Looking through the keyhole, he noticed that the key was, rather unusually, positioned on the opposite side. Recalling a technique he had observed on television, he slid a newspaper beneath the door and, using a screwdriver, managed to dislodge the key from the lock. He heard it fall and cautiously withdrew the newspaper, but found no key resting on it.

The only alternative entrance to the storeroom was through its rear outer door. He kept the key to that door along with others on a keyring adorned with a dark leather fob featuring an E-type Jaguar medallion. He was confident he had left the keys on the kitchen countertop the previous night, but they were now missing.

He remembered that a spare key was available next door at 177 Gidlow Lane, a property he owned but rented to Tobias Dickinson, a funeral director. He proceeded to retrieve the spare key from Mrs. Dickinson.

Moments later, Saunders located his wife. “I entered the storeroom,” he informed the police. “I knelt beside her head. I wanted to lift her and embrace her. There was blood everywhere on the floor... A large, thick pool of blood next to her head.”

The Mysterious Keys

In the mortuary of the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Austin Lamott gazed at Ashley’s face, which bore a deep laceration above her left eye. “Could this have resulted from her falling to the floor?” he inquired. The pathologist, Dr. Edmund Tapp, shook his head. “It’s more likely that it was caused by a punch or kick from her attacker at the onset of the assault.”

A single powerful blow to the side of her head had nearly severed Ashley’s left ear. The placement of the other fifteen blows suggested that the assailant had stood over her as he systematically crushed her skull. This was not a spontaneous act of violence, Lamott reflected. It was a calculated execution.

While still at the mortuary, Detective Inspector Jack Yates contacted him from Wigan police station. “Saunders claims he woke up at 10 a.m.,” he reported. “If you’re heading back to the crime scene, could you verify what time the alarm was triggered?”

At 179 Gidlow Lane, Lamott and his colleague Thomas Todd adjusted the hands of the alarm clock. Although it was programmed to ring just before ten o'clock, it unexpectedly went off at 9:40, twenty minutes early. The two officers exchanged knowing looks, sensing that this could be significant or entirely inconsequential.

Unraveling the Motive

By 8 PM, a more intricate and troubling narrative about the couple had begun to unfold. Detectives uncovered letters in the bedside table revealing that Ashley had been involved in an affair with 22-year-old Rudy Norris for the past three months. Although Norris recognized the immorality of their actions, he found it difficult to end the relationship.

“Could Harry have killed her in a fit of jealousy?” Lamott inquired. His colleagues deemed this scenario improbable. Friends of Saunders described him as a composed individual, lacking emotional warmth. “Regardless,” Yates interjected, “he hasn’t exactly been the ideal husband himself.”

Investigations revealed that Harry Saunders had developed an obsession with Brinda Diamond, a 20-year-old law student who was interning at his office for the summer. He had showered her with small gifts and taken her out to dinner. While on vacation in Corfu with his wife, he had even penned her love letters.

“Could he have wished to eliminate his wife to be with Brinda Diamond?” Lamott pondered. Yates merely shrugged in response.

The Drug Theory and Dead Ends

"What about Norris?" Todd inquired. "Could he be implicated?" Yates responded with a shake of his head. "He has a solid alibi." At the engineering facility where Norris was employed, his clocking-on card indicated he arrived at 8 a.m., and his colleagues confirmed his presence throughout the morning.

Lamott redirected his focus to Saunders. Saunders claimed he had awakened at 10 a.m., yet the alarm had clearly sounded at 9:40 a.m. Why was he so eager to account for those missing 20 minutes?

At 10 p.m., Saunders was taken into custody. He appeared untroubled. As a lawyer, he understood that a spouse is often one of the first suspects in a murder investigation. He recounted his version of events to Yates once more.

By the following morning, a significant incident room had been established in the CID wing. Detectives had uncovered documents from Saunders's residence that indicated the couple was experiencing financial difficulties. Saunders had purchased their home at the peak of the market and had taken out loans for renovations, in addition to an £80,000 mortgage. If their marriage had ended, Ashley would have been entitled to half the equity in the house and the adjacent property, both of which were only partially renovated and challenging to sell in a stagnant market.

Nevertheless, the couple had substantial insurance coverage. Three distinct policies ensured that if one of them passed away, the mortgage would be settled, and the surviving partner would receive £70,000 in cash. An additional policy on Ashley’s life would provide Harry with another £50,000.

It was evident that Harry Saunders stood to benefit financially from his wife's demise. However, having a motive alone is insufficient to support a murder charge. Lamott and his team began to examine the fundamental details: Ashley had been killed in a storeroom that was locked from the inside; the murderer must have exited through the rear outer door, which could only be secured by locking it; the key, still on its ring, was missing.

Alternatively, it is possible that Harry himself killed his wife and concealed the keys to create the appearance of an external perpetrator. He would not have risked venturing out to dispose of them for fear of being recognized, suggesting that the keys must still be within the house. If he were indeed the assailant, he likely would have exited the storeroom through its internal door, securing it from the kitchen side. He could have then slid the key back under the door to support his assertion that he had accidentally knocked it onto the storeroom floor with a screwdriver.

“At this point, we lack any concrete evidence in either direction,” Lamott concluded. “Our best chance lies in locating those keys.”

Detectives thoroughly searched Saunders’s residence, nearby gardens, trash bins, and even the patrol car that transported him to the station, but no keys were found.

Other investigative avenues also yielded no results. Forensic analysis of Harry’s clothing did not uncover a single trace of Ashley’s blood. When the police informed Ashley’s mother, Mrs. Dilys Sillitoe, that Harry was being questioned, she expressed disbelief: “You must be mistaken. Harry would never do such a thing.”

However, if Harry Saunders was not responsible for his wife’s death, then who was?

The Phone Calls and Stalking Suspicions

Yates resumed his questioning of Saunders. “Is there anyone who might have had a motive to harm Ashley?” he inquired.

Saunders shook his head in despair. Everyone adored his compassionate wife.

Suddenly, Saunders remembered that shortly after Ashley’s body was found, a police officer had mentioned a pill canister labeled Temazepam (a common tranquilizer) located near her right hand. At the time, Saunders had assumed that Ashley had simply pocketed an empty container from the hospital. Now, however, he began to question whether Ashley had been involved in selling drugs she had brought back from the hospital and had locked the storeroom door to avoid interruptions. Could it be that a deal had gone tragically awry?

Lamott reminded himself firmly to remain cautious about making premature assumptions in the case. The murder investigation would now pivot to a drug-related inquiry, prompting fresh teams of detectives to commence their work.

After over ten hours of questioning, Saunders maintained his composure, politeness, and accuracy. Yates observed no inconsistencies in his account. He was released on Sunday evening with the stipulation that he not return home.

The following morning, the police initiated another thorough search of Saunders’s residence, cataloging the contents of each room. They examined the rafters and chimney, inspected nearby roofs and gutters, searched the sewers, and scrutinized every street drain within a kilometer radius. Yet, the keys remained elusive.

In the meantime, an analysis of a scrap of paper discovered near Ashley’s left hand uncovered new evidence suggesting she may have been murdered by an outsider during a drug transaction: it was the bloodstained bottom left corner of a £10 note. Could Ashley have had a dispute over a drug deal that led to her being bludgeoned to death?

Interviews with Ashley’s family and friends provided another lead. Several individuals reported that she had been receiving mysterious phone calls. When she answered, no one responded. The caller would wait briefly before hanging up. These calls occurred only when Harry was away from home, indicating that someone might have been monitoring the house and knew when Ashley was alone. Was there a disturbed individual stalking her?

Lamott’s team then received a call from Mrs. Sheily Sillitoe, who lived in Wrightington, just outside Wigan. She informed them that the night before the murder, a man had called her asking, “Is Ashley there?” When told she was not, he replied, “I’m trying to reach a Ashley Sillitoe,” which was Ashley’s maiden name. After being informed that she did not reside there, the caller hung up. Lamott pondered whether this individual could be the same person who had been calling Ashley at home, possibly even the murderer.

During a press conference held on Wednesday, November 6, Harry Saunders, squinting under the bright television lights, made a heartfelt plea for assistance. “If anyone, anywhere has any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, please reach out to the police. I urge you to do so.” Struggling to hold back tears, he spoke fondly of Ashley: “She was vibrant and incredibly beautiful. I loved her, and I continue to love her.” Amidst the sound of numerous press cameras clicking, he displayed a duplicate set of keys that Lamott had made, featuring a Jaguar-branded fob.

The Key Evidence

As the second week following Ashley’s murder progressed, leads began to dwindle. Investigations revealed that she had no connections to the drug scene. Forensic analysis found no fingerprints on the hammer, and nothing within the Saunderss' residence provided any insight into the identity of the murderer. The remaining portion of the £10 note remained missing.

Inevitably, suspicion shifted back to Harry Saunders. As a solicitor for the Crown Prosecution Service, he was accustomed to examining evidence for court cases, identifying weaknesses in police investigations or defendants' accounts. He possessed the skills to create a misleading narrative. “But how could he have murdered his wife without leaving blood on any of his clothing?” Lamott pondered.

“Perhaps he removed his clothes after delivering the initial blow that incapacitated her,” Yates proposed. “He could have struck her another 15 times before going upstairs to clean himself thoroughly.”

Forensic experts discovered small bloodstains on the bathroom sink and the tiles above, but there was insufficient evidence to determine a specific blood type. It was possible that Saunders had merely cut himself while shaving.

“What about the mysterious phone calls?” Lamott inquired.

"Saunders could have made all those calls," Todd proposed. "The caller never rang while he was present."

"And what about the call to Mrs. Sheila Sillitoe?" Yates replied. "Saunders could have made that call as well. The next Sillitoe listed in the directory is Ashley’s mother, yet he did not attempt to contact her. Why? Because she would undoubtedly recognize Saunders’s voice."

Another point of suspicion arose from the emergency call Saunders placed from the Dickinsons’ funeral home after discovering his wife's body. Rather than immediately requesting an ambulance, he opted to call the police first and then began a lengthy narrative of his activities that morning. When traffic patrolman Xander Cunliffe arrived shortly thereafter, Saunders repeated his extensive account.

Were Saunders’s actions indicative of a man in shock? Lamott pondered. Or was he, drawing on his legal training, meticulously documenting every detail needed for a solid alibi?

The second search of Saunders’s residence uncovered a pair of shoes with what appeared to be blood traces on the soles, which were sent for forensic analysis. However, the keys remained missing. "The place has been thoroughly searched," Todd reported. Lamott gazed despondently out of his office window. Every instinct suggested that Harry Saunders was the murderer, yet without the keys, they lacked conclusive evidence.

He turned to Todd and stated, “We will need to conduct another search of the house, Thomas. It may be beneficial to involve a new search team for a fresh perspective.”

On Monday, November 11, the police initiated their most comprehensive search to date. The following morning, they removed the hallway carpet and unscrewed six short floorboards. Armed with a flashlight, Police Constable Ian Fields began to crawl on his stomach through the 45-centimeter gap between the ground and the floor joists. After half an hour of examining the dust-laden darkness, his flashlight illuminated a pipe that was nearly hidden beneath the front door sill, obstructed by half-bricks and debris, which he proceeded to clear. As he directed his flashlight down the pipe, he noticed something glimmering.

Yates intercepted Lamott on the station stairs. “You won’t believe this, boss,” he exclaimed with a smile. “We’ve located the keys, and they have blood on them.”

Early Thursday morning, Yates and Lamott resumed their questioning of Saunders. As Lamott recounted how Fields had discovered the pipe within the wall, he observed the color draining from Saunders’s face, “like a blood bank emptying,” as Lamott later described. “Guess what we found, Mr. Saunders?” From a concealed bag resting on his lap, Lamott placed the keys on the table.

Pale-faced, Saunders shut his eyes and leaned back in his chair. After a moment, he spoke up. "It's not me." Lamott inundated him with further inquiries. However, unlike his previous detailed responses, Saunders merely reiterated, "It's not me... It's not me." Eventually, Lamott proposed that Saunders had either orchestrated the murder or had killed his wife in a fit of rage after an argument. By this time, Saunders had regained his composure. "This is absurd," he replied. "I will state clearly that I did not kill Ashley, and I am incapable of doing so." As Saunders was escorted to the cells, Yates sighed in exasperation: "A composed individual."

Justice Served

On February 23, 1993, Harry Saunders appeared in the dock at Liverpool's Crown Court Number 5. Dressed sharply in a dark suit, he projected an air of bewildered innocence. His intellect was on par with the other attorneys present, leading him to dismiss much of the evidence as circumstantial. However, he struggled to explain the presence of the keys and the shoes, which were now revealed to have traces of his wife's blood. He insisted that someone else must have placed them where they were discovered, but he maintained that he was not responsible. He glanced at the jury, seemingly urging them to use their imagination. Perhaps the police were to blame? This was his final hope.

After a 14-day trial, the jury reached a unanimous verdict: guilty. Saunders slumped in his chair, burying his face in his hands. As he sentenced him to life imprisonment, Mr. Justice Ognall stated, "You murdered your wife with a chilling level of control and focus. You then took calculated and sophisticated measures to mislead the police, including portraying your deceased wife as a criminal and a drug dealer. It is important to note that despite her shortcomings, she should be remembered as a vibrant, caring, and decent young woman."

Detective Superintendent Lamott and his team had ultimately succeeded in bringing to justice one of the most methodical and cold-blooded murderers in British criminal history. "Most individuals planning a murder believe it will be the perfect crime," remarked Lamott. "Yet, Harry Saunders came remarkably close to achieving that."