Sunday afternoon get told about murdered neighbour

[Replies From View]

Sounds like it's been win/win, all things considered.

[Shit Good Nose]

Well, yes - the immediate neighbours on one side have had a particularly hard time by all accounts.  He's never actually done anything (he wasn't the violent type), but he was a terrible drunk and they've had to put up with his stupid-o-clock rants waking their kids up (and I once heard him shout "I'VE GOT THE BLOOD OF THE VIKINGS IN ME!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of his lungs at 3 in the morning), and she did admit to us that in many ways she was quite relieved that he's no longer living next door, without going as far as being relieved he's dead of course.

In other ways it is a shame, though - when sober he was a nice friendly guy, like a hippy in his 60s (even though he was only in his very early 40s - a warning there for all you heavy drink and drug users), and had very green fingers (he was almost solely responsible for de-weeding the stream that runs down our high street a couple of years ago, and he re-planted lots of wild flowers and perennials - he didn't grow his own, though), and a couple of other neighbours got on very well with him, especially the elderly couple on one side of us who were sort of surrogate parents to him.

[St_Eddie]

I once heard him shout "I'VE GOT THE BLOOD OF THE VIKINGS IN ME!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of his lungs at 3 in the morning.

To be fair, if you've got the blood of the vikings in you, you've got to let the world know, regardless of what time it is.

[Shit Good Nose]

True, although I'd love to know how he knew that for sure - he didn't have the internet, and I doubt he could afford to do the ancestry thing.  Unless a friend did it for him...

I mean, you don't dispute a drunk man confidently yelling out he has viking blood pumping through his veins, do you.  Even IF you know that he otherwise wouldn't hurt a fly.

[Steven]

True, although I'd love to know how he knew that for sure - he didn't have the internet, and I doubt he could afford to do the ancestry thing.  Unless a friend did it for him...

He might have been brutally raped by the entirety of a Minnesota football team.

You know what they're like.

[Sebastian Cobb]

If I was a landlord I'd keep renting it until people forgot as renters are desperate enough to rent a murder house, you'd be losing value if you sold it right away. Plus it sounds like the mere fact there were some *gasp* renters in the street is enough to ruffle homeowners' feathers round your way, so that's a bonus.

[Replies From View]

Why are people squeamish about living in a house that a murder has happened in?  Most houses must have had a death in them at some point.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Why are people squeamish about living in a house that a murder has happened in?  Most houses must have had a death in them at some point.

Dunno. I'd be alright with a stabbing or something but I wouldn't want to live in something like Nielsens old gaff where all the guts could have soaked into the beams and that.

[Replies From View]

Dunno. I'd be alright with a stabbing or something but I wouldn't want to live in something like Nielsens old gaff where all the guts could have soaked into the beams and that.

Just varnish the beams really heavily to seal the guts in.

I mean it's up to you, but if they're selling Nielsen's old gaff very cheaply then just go for it.

[Shit Good Nose]

Well, most of the houses down our cul-de-sac were built between 1905 and 1908 (ours is a 1908 one) for the local miners so, statistically, loads of deaths in all of them and a good chance of at least one other murder being done at some point.

[Sebastian Cobb]

We're miners more murderous than the rest of the population?

[mothman]

...and was there?! Come on, don't leave us hanging like this!

Trust you to hone in on the one detail of the story I don't actually know. But I imagine all thoughts of a milky brew went out the window on seeing their daughter-in-law's severed limbs and head.

When and how was he caught and arrested?

After a few days, he returned voluntarily. His explanation - and defence - was ultimately based on having gone into a sort of fugue state where he wasn't really aware of what he was doing, temporary insanity, I guess - beginning from the moment he cracked and hit her. There are other details, like they had a child, I don't know where... she? was during all this (he didn;t take her with him when he left the country, I don't think), but was established to be safe and well. He got 8 years for manslaughter, I think.

[Replies From View]

Trust you to hone in on the one detail of the story I don't actually know. But I imagine all thoughts of a milky brew went out the window on seeing their daughter-in-law's severed limbs and head.

Why?

[hedgehog90]

But I imagine all thoughts of a milky brew went out the window on seeing their daughter-in-law's severed limbs and head.

A nice cup of tea is exactly what you need in that situation, to calm your nerves like.

[St_Eddie]

He got 8 years for manslaughter, I think.

He must have had the same lawyer as Robert Durst.  Sure, it wasn't premeditated but he still murdered her, chopped her up and put the pieces in the fridge.  I fail to see how that falls under the definition of manslaughter.

[Paulie Walnuts]

we live in a very very quiet part of town with well-to-do middle class neighbours

[mothman]

Why?

Well...

A nice cup of tea is exactly what you need in that situation, to calm your nerves like.

... not really a tea drinker. I can drink it socially, but just recreationally making a drink of boiled leaves, I've never really 'got' the attraction.

He must have had the same lawyer as Robert Durst.  Sure, it wasn't premeditated but he still murdered her, chopped her up and put the pieces in the fridge.  I fail to see how that falls under the definition of manslaughter.

I've never been able to find out much about the case. There was a report on C4 news when he was sentenced (I was on the other side of the world when the crime came to light; another former flatmate filled me on on the details via MSN Messenger). A couple of reports on local news websites. Not much indication of why he got the sentence he did.

[Dr Rock]

Manslaughter can be committed in one of three ways:

killing with the intent for murder but where a partial defence applies, namely loss of control, diminished responsibility or killing pursuant to a suicide pact

[St_Eddie]

Huh, well I guess that it does qualify as manslaughter.  Still seems a bit daft to me though.

[Dr Rock]

Murder is more like "I've got a good idea - kill.'

[Shit Good Nose]

Forensics team there all day today, from about 8 this morning (so they missed the wedding).  All dressed up in those white suits you see on TV shows, complete with masks and overshoes.  Which I found a bit odd, considering the owners of the house have been coming and going emptying it all out and they've had contractors coming in as well, presumably to do some repairs and maintenance.  They (forensics) apparently have one more "sweep" to do on Monday and then that's all the police involvement done, at least as far as presence around here goes.

Still no other details released, still nothing in the local news (not even an announcement in the free local papers) and still no date for the funeral.

[St_Eddie]

Forensics team there all day today, from about 8 this morning (so they missed the wedding).  All dressed up in those white suits you see on TV shows, complete with masks and overshoes.  Which I found a bit odd, considering the owners of the house have been coming and going emptying it all out and they've had contractors coming in as well, presumably to do some repairs and maintenance.  They (forensics) apparently have one more "sweep" to do on Monday and then that's all the police involvement done, at least as far as presence around here goes.

Not the most thrilling episode of Prime Suspect ever, it must be said.

[ollyboro]

Not the most thrilling episode of Prime Suspect ever, it must be said.

It's a slow burning two-parter. According to TV Choice there's a controversial rape scene next week.

[Shit Good Nose]

It's a slow burning two-parter. According to TV Choice there's a controversial rape scene next week.

Yeuch, I think I know who it's going to be as well...

[Replies From View]

Murder is more like "I've got a good idea - kill.'

Someone should tell them it's not a good idea then.