Late on the evening of February 12th 1945, 55 year old Mary "Helen" Hoyles finished her shift at the American Red Cross Club on High Street in the centre of Southampton, and began the short walk home. Helen's journey should have taken just a quarter of an hour but she did not make it safely home.

Early the following morning Helen's half-naked body was found in a cul-de-sac near her lodgings on New Road. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. A clue was found at the scene which made police think the case would be solved within a week, though this confidence proved misplaced.

Over the next couple of years several suspects cropped up in the investigation and the "clue" took detectives to mainland Europe in their search for the killer. In truth the culprit may have been closer to home.

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Camille Gordon travelled from Jamaica to the UK in the early 2000s to fulfill her dream of becoming a nursery school teacher. In 2003 she moved to London but with course fees and the ever increasing cost of living, Camille had to look round for opportunities to supplement her income. The 23 year old found work as a hostess at one of Soho's many "Clip Joints".

On the evening of Monday March 1st 2004 Camille was attacked by a man in the doorway of the Blue Bunny Club on Archer Street. She died from a single stab wound to the heart. A man, believed to be a disgruntled customer, was captured by CCTV fleeing the scene, but despite this he has never been identified.

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If you have any information about the 2004 murder of 23 year old Camille Gordon you can call the incident room on 020 8785 8267. Information can also be submitted online here at the Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org

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German tourist Heidi Mnilk was on a two week trip to the UK. The 17 year old pharmaceutical apprentice was staying with an English family in West Wickham in south east London. On Sunday July 8th 1973 Heidi travelled to London with a friend to see the sights. Shortly before 5.00pm the pair boarded a train at Charing Cross Station to take them back to their accommodation. Heidi went to a non-smoking compartment and her friend to a carriage where smoking was permitted. Less than two minutes after the train passed London Bridge two young passengers heard screams and witnessed the neighbouring compartment's door fling open and the body of a young woman fall onto the tracks. Despite these passengers raising the alarm they were not taken seriously and it was a little while before the body of Heidi Mnilk was discovered. A post-mortem showed Heidi had been stabbed before her body was hurled from the train. The young passengers gave a detailed description of a man seen leaving Heidi's compartment and police scoured London for the suspect. Then, a few months later, information came to light suggesting a motive for the seemingly random crime.

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Thursday March 18th 1965 was a dismal day in the town of Tyrone, Pennsylvannia.
Shortly after midday, six year old Kathy Shea left her home for the short walk to her elementary school. Although spring was just around the corner, slushy snow lined the streets as the Kindergartner hurried along on her way. Several people saw Kathy enroute but she never made it to her lessons that afternoon. A bloodhound tracked Kathy's scent to a spot within eyesight of the school. The only conclusion was that the little girl had been abducted by person or persons unknown. Since that day there has been no sign of Kathy.

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For seven years Crispin Dye had been the manager of Australian rock band AC/DC. He was a talented song writer and musician in his own right and during the early 1990s released his first solo album. Shortly before Christmas 1993 Crispin, aged 41, travelled to his mother's home in Sydney to spend the festive period with her. On the night of the 22nd December Crispin went out with friends to celebrate the success of his album. In the early hours of the following morning, after separating from his friends, Crispin was found lying face down on the pavement. He had sustained a head injury and was in cardiac arrest. Two days later Crispin passed away in hospital. Some suspected that Crispin had been the victim of a LGBTIQ hate crime but the NSW police were not so sure. The investigation has been dogged with criticism over the years but several persons of interest have surfaced, including a previously unknown individual in 2023 after a DNA breakthrough.

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It was a normal Friday morning in November 1994 and 11 year old Nayantara Ali left her home in Forest Gate, East London, to walk to school. It should have taken less than 15 minutes but Nayantara never arrived. Family members reported her missing later that day and for three weeks there was no hint of what had happened to the confident and playful young girl. Worst fears were realised when Nayantara was found murdered just a stone's throw from her front door and in a spot already searched by police.

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Tara Calico disappeared while riding her bicycle near the town of Belen, New Mexico, in September 1988. The 19 year old fitness enthusiast would go out every morning to complete a 35 mile round trip along the NM 47 highway taking in the vast open spaces of Valencia County. On the morning of September 20th she left her home as usual but never returned. Several witnesses saw Tara riding on the highway that morning listening to a personal stereo; unbeknownest to her, she was being followed by an old Ford truck. Over the ensuing decades the investigation has seen numerous leads come and go, culminating in a significant announcement by law enforcement in the summer of 2023.


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On a Spring day in 1991 the body of Tuula Lukkarinen was found in woods near the disused Hausjarvi gravel pits in Southern Finland. The 28 year old had gone missing the previous day after leaving the mental hospital where she was temporarily staying. It was a brutal slaying, with the killer displaying disturbing and sadistic tendencies. Two years later 40 year old Maarit Haantie disappeared in the same area during a night out with friends. She has never been seen since and the Finnish police believe she was murdered. Two earlier attacks on women have also been linked to these cases and investigators believe there is a connection, with one perpetrator being responsible for all the crimes. Over the past three decades, the small towns and forests of southern Finland have been the backdrop to the search for, a rarity in Finnish criminal history, a serial killer.

If you have information about the Hausjarvi murders you can email the Finnish Police at rikosvihje.ksp@poliisi.fi

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