Police have issued a new appeal to help solve the murder of 26-year-old Debbie Linsley who was found dead on a train at Victoria station on 23 March 1988.
Debbie, who lived and worked as a hotel manager in Edinburgh, had been to visit her parents and brother Gordon in preparation for his wedding, due to be held a few weeks later.
She had been stabbed repeatedly in the heart and the case was reopened in 2002 after advances in forensic science techniques. No-one has been arrested in connection with the murder.
She boarded the train at Petts Wood in south-east London and entered an old fashioned compartment with room for six people and doors at each side of the carriage.
The train arrived at platform 2 at Victoria railway station and at around 14.50hrs, her body was discovered on the floor by British Rail staff.
The murder weapon is believed to have been a knife measuring between five and seven and a half inches. It was not recovered.
Since the murder, over 1200 statements have been taken and more than 650 people have been eliminated as potential suspects, but unfortunately enquiries have not led police to a suspect and no one has been arrested as part of the investigation.
Detectives have a full DNA profile of the suspect – Debbie fought off her killer during the attack and traces of blood belonging to someone other than Debbie were found at the scene – and detectives are pursuing familial DNA searching.
The current investigation is being led by A/DI Susan Stansfield of the Met’s Special Casework Investigation Team – part of the Homicide and Major Crime Command which investigates unsolved, historical cases.
A/DI Stansfield said: “It has been 30 years since Debbie was tragically murdered, but our efforts to trace the perpetrator continue. We will do everything in our power to identify the killer and bring them to justice.
“We have a DNA profile of the suspect and this remains a key piece of evidence that we are following up on. As well as the physical evidence at our disposal, we would be keen to hear from anyone who has information that might assist the inquiry. Have you had an unusual, out-of-the-blue conversation with someone about the murder in the intervening years? Has someone confided in you with information only the killer would know?
“Although this happened 30 years ago, you may recall being on that train or at a station on the route and seeing something which at the time you thought nothing of but in light of what happened was out of place and suspicious, and might be significant.”
Debbie’s father Arthur Linsley said: “My daughter was murdered 30 years ago and despite the DNA profile of the suspect being available, the person responsible has still not been found.
“I appealed in 2013 for those who had suspicions about a partner, a friend or a relative to please come forward and I renew that appeal now on this anniversary of Debbie’s death.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 020 7230 4294 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
