Favorite suspect/s?

[Sam Flynn]

2. "Damn it! Some idiot is drawing close! Should I run? No, he will hear it, and if he raises the alarm, I will be in all sorts of trouble if a copper hears it and sees me".

No need to run, and why worry about being heard - which wasn't guaranteed - when there were escape routes so close at hand? Better to get away than remain with a woman whose throat and belly you've just ripped open, I'd suggest.

If Cross was in a position to have got up, rearranged Polly's clothing and distanced himself from the body on the approach of Paul, then the latter must have been much further away when Cross first became aware of him. That being the case, he'd have had even more of a head-start than 40 yards, making it even easier for him to get away.

As to Andy Griffiths, whilst I don't doubt his qualifications, I don't think he's any better placed to pronounce on whether Cross would/wouldn't have got the hell out of there than anybody else.

[Fisherman]

I think that the main risk is in getting caught.

Exactly so. And the best way not to get caught for killing is not to kill.

[Fisherman]

That is an equally baffling thing for him to have said; who is Andy Griffiths to decide what Cross wouldn't, or couldn't, do? Of course it's possible that Cross would have walked away, if he'd decided to do so.

Yes, it was possible to walk or run away, and nobody has said anything else. If Lechmere was the killer, then he CHOSE to stay. What reasoning he based it on is hard to say, which can be exemplified by suggesting two options:

1. "Here comes somebody! Good! It will be fun conning him, and if he makes problems, I´ll kill him".

2. "Damn it! Some idiot is drawing close! Should I run? No, he will hear it, and if he raises the alarm, I will be in all sorts of trouble if a copper hears it and sees me".

As you will understand, there are many more wordings that can be suggested.

On the question of who Griffiths is to say that he would not have run, the answer is presented on the site of Portsmouth University:

A police officer with twenty seven years service. Has operational experience as a detective at all ranks. Also has extensive experience of criminal investigation training design, delivery and policy implementation. This includes development and delivery of specialist interview training, and a significant contribution to development of strategic interview policy both in the UK and abroad, including representing the National Policing Improvement Agency in France, Canada and South Korea. Completed his doctorate part-time supported by a Bramshill fellowship, and has since published several papers on investigative interviewing. He still trains police officers, as well as lecturing under and post-graduate students and is also advising on several international research projects. In 2010 he was awarded the Senior Practitioner award by the International Investigative Interview Research Group (iIIRG).

The whole site, giving insight into his writings and education and many more things is here: http://www.port.ac.uk/centre-of-fore...griffiths.html

Does all of this mean that he must have been right about Lechmere and if he would have run? No.

Does it mean that he is extremely well qualified to make a useful guess about it? Yes.

[Sam Flynn]

Yes, serial killers often take unneccessary risks. By killing, for example.

I think that the main risk is in getting caught.

[Sam Flynn]

You are perfectly correct - I used "errand" as "ärende". And that is how it is translated in wordbooks too. But it seems that it is a wider expression in Sweden than in England.

Thanks for pointing it out, Gareth!

My pleasure, Fish.