The Body in the Ditch

Part of the Police Search Team
Image Source Epsom Advertiser

Around 8.20am on Wednesday 28 January 1970 Noel Flanagan and Roger Harris, two stable lads from Treadwell Stables, were exercising some horses on Epsom Downs when they came across the body of a young woman.

Noel Flanagan (22) and Roger Harris (21)
Image Source Epsom Herald

She had been strangled, battered and possibly raped before being transported to Epsom and dumped, partially clothed in a 3ft ditch by the path between Downs Road and Burgh Heath Road.

She was described as 5 foot (152cm) tall having a small build, greenish eyes with short cropped auburn hair.  Her clothing consisted of a blue plastic coat, grey woollen sweater, red/pink check blouse, pale mauve mini-skirt, a college type scarf  (in mauve, green, blue and yellow) and blue calf length socks.  Her tights and underwear were lying nearby but no shoes, handbag or money was found.

A photograph of the murdered woman superimposed
on the picture of another girl dressed in similar clothes
to those worn by Mrs Smith.
Image Source Epsom Advertiser

A team of forty detectives worked on the case and by 31 January her identity had been established as 20 year old Mrs Ann Smith (neé Malone) who had been living in Crokerton Road, Tooting.  She was separated from her 19 year old husband Thomas James Smith who was living in Hyde Park Street, Liverpool. They had married in 1967 (Q3 Liverpool S Vol. 10D  Page 1133) and had a son called Ricardo later that year (Q4 Liverpool N Vol. 10D  Page 505) but the couple parted in May 1969.

The Murder Squad headquarters based in Epsom
Image Source Epsom Advertiser

A team of 40 police officers, headed by Detective Chief Superintendent Ken Etherbridge were involved in the investigation.  As she had been cautioned on several occasions it was thought she had become involved with a vice ring. Initially the police wondered if she was one of the Hammersmith Nude Murders (aka Thames Nude Murders) but later they dismissed this and with any links to the Yorkshire Ripper case.

Enquiries were made in three main areas, Tooting, Liverpool and Epsom. Door to door enquiries were made in the Epsom area and police were assisted by friends and acquaintances of the dead woman. But it is understood that over 50 years later the case is still unsolved and the National Archives report that the case notes are closed to public inspection till 2069.

Peter Reed 2023

The Times, 29 Jan. 1970

Police hunt for Downs killer

Murder Squad detectives were last night searching for the killer of a young woman who was found battered to death on Epsom Downs yesterday.

The woman, aged between 20 and 30, was lying partly clothed in a ditch, when two jockeys who were on their way to an early morning training session, found her body.

Scotland Yard last night appealed to anyone who knows of someone missing during the last two or three days and who was wearing a mauve. striped scarf with gold intertwining ‘ribbon.

The girl had been dead for between 48 hours and three days, and police are searching their files and appealing to people for information of any girl matching her” description who may have been found to be missing during this – time.

The Times, 30 Jan. 1970

Identity clue in murder

By a Staff Reporter

Detectives investigating the murder of a young woman whose battered body was found on Epsom Downs two days ago said last night they were convinced they knew her name.

Police declined to release the woman’s name, but last night it was believed that she lived in the Clapham Common district of South-west London..

As detectives were attempting to trace the young woman’s parents a young man, who had been giving police information since early afternoon, was still at Epsom: police station.

The 40-strong squad of detectives who have worked almost non-stop since the body of the woman was found by two jockeys on the Downs on Wednesday, are convinced that she had been dumped in a ditch near the riding path only a short time before being discovered.

The Times, 31 Jan. 1970

Dead woman identified

The woman found dead on Epsom Downs on Wednesday was identified yesterday as Mrs. Anne Smith, aged 21. Her estranged husband, Mr. Thomas Smith, aged 19. of Toxteth, Liverpool, travelled to London to identify the body.