Who was Ken Brown? Wealthy businessman shot at point blank range on his farm
Here we take a look at what happened more than three decades ago in this shocking unsolved murder.
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On the evening of August 25, 1994, Ken Brown, then aged 56, was tending to his chickens and geese at his £750,000 rural home located on the edge of Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire.
Despite having recently installed extra security measures due to concerns about safety, he was shot at point-blank range outside his isolated farmhouse.
Ken was discovered dead in his chicken coop, the victim of a single, close-range gunshot wound.
The murder took place at dusk, when he was carrying out his everyday evening routine.
The isolated nature of the property and lack of witnesses coming forward made the investigation particularly challenging for police.
Recluse
Ken's neighbours reportedly said he lived reclusively.
Some even believed he had been living in fear before his death, which may have been why he beefed up his home security system.
Because of his financial success — the victim co-owned a chain of pubs, restaurants and hotels — possible motives including robbery or a personal vendetta were considered by investigators.
But there was no immediate proof of theft and the murder weapon was never recovered.
The lack of forensic evidence and absence of a clear motive hindered police progress.
The case became one of Leicestershire's most notorious unsolved crimes, drawing significant media attention and public interest.
Extensive investigation
The police investigation was extensive; there were numerous appeals – including one on Crimewatch – and a cash reward was offered for information.
In 2004, Det Ch Insp Jim Donaghy said he believed somebody in Barrow could hold clues to unravelling the case.
He said: "People do talk, especially if they feel the attention is going off and the police are losing interest.
"That will never happen in this case. We constantly review these sorts of inquiries, murders and homicides.
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"So if anyone has any more information I would ask them to come forward, pass that to me and let us be the judge of that and assess."
Anyone with information should contact Leicestershire Police or ring Crimestoppers.
Despite these efforts, Ken's killers have never been found.
In the Footsteps of Killers
Series three, episode four of the Channel 4 true crime docuseries investigates the killing of Ken Brown.
Presented by Silent Witness star Emilia Fox and Professor David Wilson, the programme investigates unsolved British murders, using a hybrid of documentary and drama techniques.
Each episode sees the presenters travel to the scene of a cold case, re-examine evidence, interview witnesses and attempt to uncover new leads using the latest forensic science and criminological research.
The episode of In the Footsteps of Killers examining the murder of Ken Brown airs on Channel 4 at 10 pm on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
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