Todays Manchester Guardian had the following article. It was one of seven articles about different killings over the past day. The last paragraph mentions the police are cosidering asking for a turn in of shotguns so they can do a ballistic test. It sounds to me that they are fishing for clues in the absence of any progress in the murder.
Press Association
Saturday January 10, 2004 4:23 PM
An elderly colonel gunned down on the doorstep of his country cottage may have been murdered by a fellow villager, police said.
Detectives dismissed theories that 83-year-old Robert Workman was the victim of a professional hitman.
His body was found in the doorway of his home in Furneux Pelham, Hertfordshire. He had been blasted in the body at close range with a shotgun at around 9pm the previous night and lay undiscovered for more than nine hours.
Police, baffled by the motive for his killing, said nothing appeared to have been taken from the house and they knew of no-one with a grudge against him.
Detective Superintendent Richard Mann said today: "The key to this murder may lie in the community. We are in a rural community and it is likely that a lot of local residents may have access to shotguns.
"It's not the preferred weapon of professional assassins nor is it the weapon which people use to commit burglaries and robberies."
Mr Mann admitted the team of 70 officers working on the murder hunt were stumped for a motive.
"I'm afraid I don't know, that is a major line of inquiry. It is possible that the key to this is within the community.
"I have to say I haven't met anyone who has had a bad word to say about Mr Workman. He was placid, very pleasant, proud, charming and unassuming. He was a nice gentleman, very polite, well spoken and people have fond memories of him."
He added that police were considering asking villagers to hand in their personal shotguns for ballistics checks should weapons checks fail to bring any leads.
Press Association
Saturday January 10, 2004 4:23 PM
An elderly colonel gunned down on the doorstep of his country cottage may have been murdered by a fellow villager, police said.
Detectives dismissed theories that 83-year-old Robert Workman was the victim of a professional hitman.
His body was found in the doorway of his home in Furneux Pelham, Hertfordshire. He had been blasted in the body at close range with a shotgun at around 9pm the previous night and lay undiscovered for more than nine hours.
Police, baffled by the motive for his killing, said nothing appeared to have been taken from the house and they knew of no-one with a grudge against him.
Detective Superintendent Richard Mann said today: "The key to this murder may lie in the community. We are in a rural community and it is likely that a lot of local residents may have access to shotguns.
"It's not the preferred weapon of professional assassins nor is it the weapon which people use to commit burglaries and robberies."
Mr Mann admitted the team of 70 officers working on the murder hunt were stumped for a motive.
"I'm afraid I don't know, that is a major line of inquiry. It is possible that the key to this is within the community.
"I have to say I haven't met anyone who has had a bad word to say about Mr Workman. He was placid, very pleasant, proud, charming and unassuming. He was a nice gentleman, very polite, well spoken and people have fond memories of him."
He added that police were considering asking villagers to hand in their personal shotguns for ballistics checks should weapons checks fail to bring any leads.
