The Cold Case of Karen Hales

September 21st, 1993, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.

Karen Hales was just 21 years old when she was brutally murdered in her home on Lavenham road in Ipswich. She lived with her partner Peter, who she had bet at school and their 18-month-old baby. Karen worked part-time in a local Boots store and Peter worked at the local bus depot.

The day before her murder, on Saturday the 20th of September, Peter had gone out for the evening with some colleagues from work. Karen was home alone when she heard someone at the door. She got up to look and saw someone trying the front door handle. Luckily the door was locked. She was too afraid to call out to see who it was as there had been reported break-ins in the local area.

The next day, on Sunday the 21st of September, Peter went to work at about 3.30pm, to work his shift at the bus depot, leaving Karen in the house. At around 4pm, Karen's parents called into see Peter at work, telling him that they were going to call and see Karen on their way home.

At approximately 4.40 pm, Karen’s parents called into her house. They found that the front door was open, when they went inside where they were greeted with smoke. Karen’s father found her body laid on the floor. Karen had been stabbed and set on fire. Her daughter was in the same room but was unharmed.

The BBC TV show, Crimewatch staged a reconstruction of Karen's last known movements in the hope that someone would come forwards with a lead.

Two locals said that they were taking a shortcut near to where Karen and Peter lived, and they recalled seeing a man walking in the opposite direction. They were going to ask the time but did not as he looked like he was in a hurry. They described him as wearing a blue or grey parker coat with a fur hood.

Police received another call from a couple who were driving back to their house when they saw a man standing on the central reservation. They thought he looked agitated. The man then ran across the road, with their car almost hitting him. They described him as wearing a coat with a grey trim, he was a slim build with black short hair, and about 20-25 years old.

Two other witnesses said that they passed Karen and Peter's house and thought that they saw smoke, but they assumed it was just condensation and so just carried on walking.

At approximately 4.40 pm, a lady was walking her dog and noticed a man running. He stopped and stared at the lady, she thought that the way he looked at her was odd. Her description of the man matched the other sightings. A man in a parker with a fur trim.

The police had no clue as to what the motive was. Karen’s purse and 2 knives were taken from the house, none of these items have even been recovered. Police said that there was no sign of a forced entry, either the door was unlocked, or Karen knew her killer and had let them in the house.

The only conclusion that police could think of was that the attacker was watching the house. When he saw Peter leave on the previous day, he tried the door, but it was locked. He must have again been watching the house the next day as the attack was shortly after Peter had left for work, but why, why Karen?

Any DNA evidence was destroyed in the fire, so advanced DNA technologies are unlikely to give any new leads at this point.

In 2005, a £50,000 reward was offered, but no one came forwards.

As of 2022, Karen's murder remains unsolved.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the joint Norfolk and Suffolk unsolved case team on 01953 423819.

Alternatively, people can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111, or via the online form.

Sources and Further Reading

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-46603977

https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/cold-cases-0/karen-hales

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/crime/ipswich-mother-karen-hales-murder-in-1993-8504268

https://truecrimeengland.wordpress.com/2020/10/31/the-unsolved-murders-of-karen-hales-janet-murgatroyd/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1p_P1XaG70