Police issue fresh appeal thirty years on from Ipswich murder of 21 year old stabbed and set alight
21 year old Karen Hales’ body was discovered at her home in Lavenham Road in November 1993
Police are renewing their appeal for information about the murder of a young mother at her home in Ipswich more than 30 years ago.
21 year-old Karen Hales’ body was found at her home in Lavenham Road by her parents at approximately 4.40pm, on Sunday 21 November 1993.
She was found in the kitchen with multiple stab wounds and her body had been set alight.
Her 18-month-old daughter was also in the house, but was not harmed.
A post-mortem examination at the time ruled the cause of death was shock and haemorrhage, secondary to multiple stab wounds.
Suffolk Police immediately launched a murder investigation, which, at the time, was one of the biggest murder hunts in the county's history.
Around 50 officers were involved, interviewing witnesses, carrying out fingertip searches, forensically examining Karen’s home and the surrounding area, conducting house to house enquiries and questioning over 400 motorists.
Detectives followed up more than 1,400 lines of enquiry.
“It is impossible to comprehend what drove someone to commit such an act of extreme violence"
Now, almost 31 years on from Karen’s death, officers have revealed there were three declared suspects for the murder, who have all now died.
The Unsolved Cases team is hoping, by disclosing this information, that people who may have previously been afraid to come forward - or who felt some kind of loyalty to the suspects - will now feel able to speak without the fear of any repercussions.
Andy Guy, the Major Crime Review and Unsolved Case Team Manager, said: “Despite the passage of time, the effects of this senseless murder are still very much felt by Karen’s family – in particular her parents who had to endure the unimaginable trauma of discovering the crime scene - and also her daughter who never had the opportunity to know her mother.
“It is impossible to comprehend what drove someone to commit such an act of extreme violence on a 21-year-old mother in her own home, in front of her child who could have come to serious harm herself had her grandparents not arrived when they did and the fire had taken hold – which makes it all the more appalling.
“Although we keep an open mind as to who was responsible, there were three suspects for Karen’s murder, but unfortunately there was insufficient evidence over the years to proceed.
“What we know about these individuals is that they were violent, involved in drugs and domestic burglaries and if anybody knew or suspected they had any involvement in Karen’s murder, they may have been reticent to come forward.
“My hope in revealing that these people have now died is that those barriers will be removed. Although we cannot name these individuals, it is my belief that there will be people who know or suspect who was involved and they will be fully aware of who I am referring to.
"Please do the right thing and contact us"
“However, we are not ruling out that someone else beyond those three suspects could have been responsible for Karen’s murder and want to hear from anyone who believes they have information that could assist our enquiries.
“My message to those people who may know something is to please do the right thing and contact us...
“Any sense of fear or old allegiances should now be set aside. Whatever information you have – however small or insignificant it may seem – could prove vital and help us to provide Karen’s family with the answers they deserve.”
Anyone with information is being urged to get in contact with Suffolk's Unsolved Case Team.
What happened?
Karen had been living at her home address in Lavenham Road with her long-term partner Peter and baby daughter Emily.
The day Karen was murdered, Sunday, 21 November 1993, had started ordinarily enough. Karen and Peter had spent the day visiting family and watching the television.
At 3pm Peter began getting ready for his afternoon shift at his place of work. Karen made him sandwiches and at 3.50pm she and Emily waved goodbye from the window.
10 minutes later Peter arrived at work. Soon after, Karen’s parents Geraldine and Graham Hales came to talk to him about a problem they were having with their car. They then called to see Karen and Emily on the way home.
About 4.40pm they knocked on her door, but there was no answer. Graham let himself in and could immediately smell smoke coming from the kitchen and it was there he found his daughter.