Mum murdered 35 years ago "not killed by husband" says top investigator
One of Britain's leading private investigators is convinced that Scot's mum Ann Heron wasn't murdered by her husband and says police should be looking at other suspects.
Mum-of-three Ann, 44, from Glasgow, was killed on August 3, 1990, after spending the day sunbathing in the garden of her luxury home, Aeolian House near Darlington, County Durham. Her wealthy haulage contractor husband Peter Heron, who found her body, was arrested in 2005 by Durham Constabulary but the charges were dropped three months later after he was able to show he was at work at the time of the murder. However he has remained under suspicion since.
Investigator Jen Jarvie, whose specialities include cold cases and crime scene analysis, has previously identified a second suspect violent criminal Michael Benson who died in 2011 but was eliminated by police.
Jen, a member of the Association of British Investigators (ABI). said: "I would not put my reputation on the line if I did not believe Peter Heron was innocent. "He has an accountable timeframe detailed down to the minute the emergency services were called. "I still believe that Benson needs to be thoroughly investigated. "Durham Constabulary do not know where he was at the time of the murder so they can't rule him out even though they say he is not suspect. "The police should keep an open mind. "No one wants this solved more than Peter Heron and his family."
Part-time carer Ann was found in a pool of blood in the lounge of her home around 6pm. Her throat had been cut and her bikini bottoms were missing. Jen, from Cleveland, North Yorkshire, taught trainee police officers for ten years before becoming a private investigator. She won the ABI Investigator of the Year in 2022 for her work on the Ann Heron case. Jen added:"The police need to do the right thing. "In my humble opinion it is not Peter. "You can't be in two places at the one time. "It's not about finding Peter guilty, but who has murdered Ann. "Its important that both families finally get some closure and peace of mind after 35 years."
Jen discovered that Michael Benson 's hometown was Leeds - 45 minutes' drive from Darlington. He also had convictions for firearms offences, burglary and robbery with a carving knife. Benson was given a life sentence in December 1972 for grievous bodily harm. In May 1989 he absconded from prison while on a day release programme and wasn't recaptured until 1999. During his time on the run, he married but left his wife in June 1990, taking her blue Ford Orion car - similar to a car seen speeding away from the murder scene.
Jen passed her file on Benson to police in October 2018 and DNA samples from Benson's family were later taken in the hope they would to match evidence collected from the crime scene. However no direct link was made with Benson and following a lengthy investigation he was dismissed as a suspect.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
In the Daily Record yesterday Ann's former police officer son Ralph Cockburn said he hadn't given up hope his mum's killer will finally be brought to justice after 35 years. At the time of her death Ralph was a detective constable with Strathclyde Police in Glasgow. But the father of three had to quit in 1996 on the grounds of ill health - due in part to the trauma of his mum's murder - and is now an insurance claims investigator.
Ralph, 61, said: "With the advancements in DNA and AI we are hoping that technology will finally give police the breakthrough we have been looking for all these years."
In an exclusive interview with Criminal Record this week, Ralph's sister Ann Marie Cockburn from Largs, Ayrshire, added: "Mum and I were so close. "I miss being able to pick up the phone and chat about something or nothing, I miss going shopping with her and doing all the things a mum and daughter should be doing together."
Detective Superintendent Craig Rudd of Durham Constabulary said: "The investigation into the murder of Ann Heron remains open.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scots soldier charged with murdering wife in Australia 'previously had affair'
Graeme Davidson faces a murder charge after his wife Jacqueline Davidson drowned while the couple were kayaking. A Scot accused of killing his wife while kayaking in Australia had previously cheated on her, a court has heard. In May this year, Graeme Davidson, 55, originally from Glasgow was charged with his wife Jacqueline Davidson's murder. He was also charged with fraud and attempted fraud, in relation to insurance claims he made totalling more than almost half a million pounds. In November 2020, the couple were kayaking on Lake Samsonvale without life jackets when she reportedly fell into the water and drowned. Her death was initially considered an accident; however, a homicide investigation was launched about 18 months later. Mr Davidson, who had relocated to Thailand and re married a resident there, was later arrested during a visit to Brisbane. On Thursday, his lawyer made an application for bail in the Supreme Court, where he submitted it was a "fundamentally weak Crown case". Craig Eberhardt told the court it was not in dispute that Mrs Davidson had drowned, but it was contested that his client deliberately caused her death. "There are no eyewitnesses who claim to have seen [Mr Davidson] drowning his wife or indeed behaving suspiciously," he said. The court heard Mr Davidson told police his wife had fallen into the water shortly after he had stood up in his kayak, which caused her to panic. He then told police he saw her struggling, so he entered the water, which was dark and had branches and weeds beneath the surface, to pull her out, the court heard. He said he was witnessed by members of the public and paramedics trying to resuscitate her, and some later told police Mr Davidson had worked "tirelessly to save [Mrs Davidson's] life". "He was observed by various people as being distressed, shocked and upset," he said. Mr Eberhardt told the court Mrs Davidson did not have any injuries consistent with being assaulted or being involved in any sort of struggle. "Quite simply … there is no direct evidence that [Mr Davidson] killed Jacqueline," he said. The court heard Mr Davidson, who had been married to Mrs Davidson for decades, had no criminal history and had never been the subject of a domestic violence order. The couple had been living together, but police earlier said they would allege the relationship had broken down. At the time of his wife's death, the court heard he had recently been medically discharged from the Australian Arm y, where he served as a major, and before that, he was a captain in the British Army. The court heard that during a posting in Papua New Guinea in 2018, Mr Davidson had an affair with a local woman, which Mrs Davidson became aware of in 2019. Mr Eberhardt told the court this had caused "significant matrimony upset" at that time, and as a result, the couple returned to Australia shortly after. "Although it can be accepted that [Mrs Davidson] was very upset, understandably about her husband's infidelity," he said. "There is in fact no evidence of ongoing dispute or domestic disharmony, let alone domestic violence in 2020." The court heard there were a number of witness statements that had been submitted from people who knew the couple, including their children and friends. Parts of some of their statements were read to the court, including one made by a friend of Mrs Davidson whom she confided in shortly after the affair. The court heard she had suggested ending the marriage at the time, but later said she did not wish to do so. A statement was also submitted by one of their daughters, who was living with her parents at the time of her mother's death. The court heard she told police she had also been invited to go kayaking with them on the day. "Seems a remarkable thing to do if he intended to drown her," Mr Eberhardt said. The court heard the daughter also told police her mother seemed happy, her usual self, and she had never witnessed any domestic violence between her parents. She also told police her mother had a previous heart issue, had choking issues, and would often get flustered and panic. The court heard in a statement from a friend of the couple, one man spoke of them appearing to have a "good marriage" in the years before Mrs Davidson's death. He also said in his statement that in 2021, Mr Davidson commented to him that "Jacqueline would have been gone a long time ago had she not been so pretty". However, he clarified in the statement that his friend had been acting strangely since his wife's death and believed this was a significant reaction to his grief. The court heard that after the drowning, Mr Davidson made a claim on Mrs Davidson's life insurance through her superannuation and received a payout of more than $200,000. Mr Davidson was arrested earlier this year, after he returned from overseas to visit family in Brisbane. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Mr Eberhardt told the court Mr Davidson had "no involvement" in setting up that policy and was not aware he was the sole beneficiary before making the claim. He said the couple had also taken out individual policies in mid-2020, and they were both insured for the same amount, which was roughly the cost of their mortgage of $950,000. "The existence of mutual insurance policies between husband and wife is the most unremarkable feature of sound financial planning going into retirement," he said. "The fact he claimed on the insurance policy is even more unremarkable, in fact, it would have been even more suspicious if he didn't claim."The court heard Mr Davidson was aware his wife's death was being investigated by detectives, and after moving overseas, he had corresponded with police on several occasions between 2021 and 2025. "This is not a case of him going overseas then hiding," Mr Eberhardt said. Mr Eberhardt told the court there had been "exaggerations and mischaracterisations" of other alleged evidence, which he said had been "taken out of context". He said this included Mr Davidson burning unknown documents in his backyard while his daughter was home and in view of CCTV, purchasing a new car a week after her death, and starting to date some months later. "None of this would be admissible as evidence of post-offence conduct," Mr Eberhardt said. The court heard Mr Davidson's two daughters, who were both in court to support him, would offer a surety for his release if granted. He also agreed to be subject to a curfew and would surrender his two passports. The bail hearing will continue tomorrow and is expected to be opposed by prosecutors next week.
Daily Record
19 hours ago
- Daily Record
Mum murdered 35 years ago "not killed by husband" says top investigator
A top private investigator says the husband of Ann Heron is innocent of her murder in 1990 and police should look elsewhere One of Britain's leading private investigators is convinced that Scot's mum Ann Heron wasn't murdered by her husband and says police should be looking at other suspects. Mum-of-three Ann, 44, from Glasgow, was killed on August 3, 1990, after spending the day sunbathing in the garden of her luxury home, Aeolian House near Darlington, County Durham. Her wealthy haulage contractor husband Peter Heron, who found her body, was arrested in 2005 by Durham Constabulary but the charges were dropped three months later after he was able to show he was at work at the time of the murder. However he has remained under suspicion since. Investigator Jen Jarvie, whose specialities include cold cases and crime scene analysis, has previously identified a second suspect violent criminal Michael Benson who died in 2011 but was eliminated by police. Jen, a member of the Association of British Investigators (ABI). said: "I would not put my reputation on the line if I did not believe Peter Heron was innocent. "He has an accountable timeframe detailed down to the minute the emergency services were called. "I still believe that Benson needs to be thoroughly investigated. "Durham Constabulary do not know where he was at the time of the murder so they can't rule him out even though they say he is not suspect. "The police should keep an open mind. "No one wants this solved more than Peter Heron and his family." Part-time carer Ann was found in a pool of blood in the lounge of her home around 6pm. Her throat had been cut and her bikini bottoms were missing. Jen, from Cleveland, North Yorkshire, taught trainee police officers for ten years before becoming a private investigator. She won the ABI Investigator of the Year in 2022 for her work on the Ann Heron case. Jen added:"The police need to do the right thing. "In my humble opinion it is not Peter. "You can't be in two places at the one time. "It's not about finding Peter guilty, but who has murdered Ann. "Its important that both families finally get some closure and peace of mind after 35 years." Jen discovered that Michael Benson 's hometown was Leeds - 45 minutes' drive from Darlington. He also had convictions for firearms offences, burglary and robbery with a carving knife. Benson was given a life sentence in December 1972 for grievous bodily harm. In May 1989 he absconded from prison while on a day release programme and wasn't recaptured until 1999. During his time on the run, he married but left his wife in June 1990, taking her blue Ford Orion car - similar to a car seen speeding away from the murder scene. Jen passed her file on Benson to police in October 2018 and DNA samples from Benson's family were later taken in the hope they would to match evidence collected from the crime scene. However no direct link was made with Benson and following a lengthy investigation he was dismissed as a suspect. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. In the Daily Record yesterday Ann's former police officer son Ralph Cockburn said he hadn't given up hope his mum's killer will finally be brought to justice after 35 years. At the time of her death Ralph was a detective constable with Strathclyde Police in Glasgow. But the father of three had to quit in 1996 on the grounds of ill health - due in part to the trauma of his mum's murder - and is now an insurance claims investigator. Ralph, 61, said: "With the advancements in DNA and AI we are hoping that technology will finally give police the breakthrough we have been looking for all these years." In an exclusive interview with Criminal Record this week, Ralph's sister Ann Marie Cockburn from Largs, Ayrshire, added: "Mum and I were so close. "I miss being able to pick up the phone and chat about something or nothing, I miss going shopping with her and doing all the things a mum and daughter should be doing together." Detective Superintendent Craig Rudd of Durham Constabulary said: "The investigation into the murder of Ann Heron remains open.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Former Premier League legend bombarded ex with calls & showed up at her home with flowers but avoids jail
Star targeted ex when their relationship broke down FOOTIE SHAME Former Premier League legend bombarded ex with calls & showed up at her home with flowers but avoids jail Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Premier League legend Colin Hendry has avoided jail after he hounded his ex with unwanted calls and gifts. The 59-year-old, who played for Blackburn Rovers, is understood to have waged a campaign against his ex after their relationship broke down. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Colin Hendry has avoided prison for harassing his ex Credit: NC 3 Hendry won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995 Credit: Getty Hendry wore a navy checked suit and dark sunglasses as he arrived at the court in Preston earlier today. He bombarded the woman with calls, emails, and even LinkedIn requests when she ended their relationship. The dad-of-three turned up at her house with handwritten letters, gifts, and flowers despite her requesting him not to contact her. After being warned by the police to stop, Hendry carried on the six-month campaign. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to harassment without violence but avoided jail at Preston Magistrates Court today. He was instead handed a 12 month community order and restraining order. Ten years ago he got a community order for harassing another ex girlfriend. His wife Denise Hendry tragically died aged just 43 in July 2009 following a botched liposuction operation seven years earlier. Denise, who shared four children with the footballer, was killed when bacteria spread from her stomach to her brain causing meningitis. Former Blackburn star Hendry was in defence when they won the 1995 Premier League title. The 57-year-old appeared 234 times for Blackburn before leaving for Rangers in 1998. There he made just seven appearances but became a treble-winner when the club lifted the league, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup in 1998/98. The former defender then returned to the Premier League with Coventry before moving to Bolton. A loan spell with Blackpool would follow before he retired in 2003. The Scot is also embedded into England's football history as the unfortunate player Paul Gascoigne flicked the ball over for his famous goal at Euro 96. Natasha Clark, Senior Crown Prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service North West, said: 'Colin Hendry harassed a former partner for over six months after their relationship ended after she stopped returning his calls. 'He ignored her wishes and breached boundaries she put in place, using multiple different platforms to contact her. "Hendry's behaviour was intimidating and persistent, causing the victim immense distress, but despite this he initially refused to accept it was harassment. 'This outcome is a clear indication that the CPS will not hesitate to prosecute anyone guilty of harassment whether this is in person or online.'
