LONDON — 1992 · Murder
The Killing of Rachel Nickell
Rachel Nickell, 23, was killed on the morning of 15 July 1992 while walking on Wimbledon Common in south-west London. Under intense public pressure, the Metropolitan Police focused on an innocent man on the strength of a psychological profile and charged him after a controversial undercover operation; in 1994 a judge threw out the evidence and the case collapsed. The case then went cold for years. A 2006 review used DNA analysis to identify Robert Napper, already detained for murders he had committed in Plumstead in 1993. In December 2008 Napper pleaded guilty to Nickell's manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was ordered to be detained indefinitely at Broadmoor high-security hospital. Missed clues brought heavy criticism of the police.
- Date
- 1992
- Place
- Wimbledon Common, UK, London, UK
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 51.4340, -0.2370 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 15 July 1992Rachel Nickell was killed on Wimbledon Common.
- September 1994The case against the innocent man collapsed in court.
- 2006A cold-case review used DNA to identify Robert Napper.
- 18 December 2008Napper pleaded guilty and was ordered to be detained indefinitely.
Sources
- The Guardian — Rachel Nickell killing: Robert Napper pleads guilty theguardian.com ↗
- BBC News — Killer who slipped through the net news.bbc.co.uk ↗
- The Guardian — Nickell case: missed clues theguardian.com ↗
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.