Police offer £40,000 to find killer of Playboy bunny and teenager murdered 40 years ago
|
Version 0 of 1. Police investigating the historic murders of a Playboy club bunny and a teenager have offered a £40,000 reward for information that could bring their killer to justice. Eve Stratford, an employee of London’s Playboy club, was found in her Leyton, east London home with her throat slashed from ear to ear on 18 March 1975. She was 22-years-old when she was killed. Lynne Weedon, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, was attacked and raped in an alleyway close to her home in Hounslow, west London, at 11pm on 3 September of the same year after a night out with her friends. She was discovered by a local school care-taker barely alive and taken to hospital but never regained consciousness. She died a week later. The cause of death was determined to be a single blow to the head with a heavy blunt instrument, which was never found by police. No initial connection was made between their deaths but a forensic examination in 2006 discovered the same DNA on both victims. Police say it is likely the suspect for both murders is now aged in his 60s or 70s. Scotland Yard detectives say it is possible that the killer knew his victims, particularly as Ms Stratford had a large group of friends. Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh said he believes the killer may have given away something about his crimes over the following decades. “I firmly believe there is someone out there who has information about who carried out these murders,” he said. "It's inconceivable the killer of Eve and Lynne has kept the perfect secret for 40 years. "It's a heavy burden to carry and he must have let details slip over the years - maybe to a partner, a friend, even a cellmate - and I would appeal to anyone with information to contact us." Ms Stratford’s father, her last living relative, has since died, while Lynne’s parents are now both aged in their 80s. Her mother, Margaret Weedon, described the murder 40 years ago as a "true life sentence" for the family. She said: "We have missed out on so much; she missed out on life, no relationship or marriage, no career or children or even just travelling the world, all taken from her. "We are left 40 years on always wondering what it would have been like. "We are well aware that whoever murdered Lynne also murdered Eve Stratford. That young lady also had her life snubbed out. Her family have died now. Another true life sentence. "The hurt eases but the pain still sits deep somewhere inside. There are so many questions. So many thoughts. So much heartache. "I will make a mother's plea for anyone who can tell us some information about the person who took my daughter and Eve Stratford's lives to come forward. Please, please give us some sort of closure." Additional reporting by PA |