Move to Murder: Who Killed Julia Wallace?

[RodCrosby]

I thought Parry knew her quite well, so would be in a good position to judge what degree of work detail she discussed with her husband and what someone should say to gain admittance.
Yes we know for certain that Wallace told his wife, because she told her sister-in-law a few hours before her murder.

I thought a cabinet was broken into. Doesn't that indicate this was done as part of a search before the cash box was found?

The home-made cabinet door was was broken off, it was not clear how.
Theory?: the thief, discovering there was little in the cash-box (circled), went for the next likely place in the time available.

[NickB]

Theory?: the thief, discovering there was little in the cash-box (circled), went for the next likely place in the time available.

That is a viable theory but, I suggest, so is mine. Even without the helpful circle, the cash box looks like something a thief would want to investigate. So it is not necessarily true that he knew where it was beforehand.

[RodCrosby]

Oh I quite agree, it was not necessarily the case that he knew.

But it is the case if Parry was any way involved in this.

[RodCrosby]

Alternatively, although it is a bit wacky, did the [short] thief climb on the chair and accidentally put his foot through the door while reaching for the box?

[NickB]

But it is the case if Parry was any way involved in this.

Not if Parry made the call as a prank and the burglary had nothing to do with him.

[RodCrosby]

Well, by "this" I meant the robbery.

I think Antony demolishes PD James in his book. Not that hard to do!

[NickB]

I'm not proposing PD James as, on balance, I do not think Wallace did it and suggest a burglar unconnected to him or Parry.

[RodCrosby]

OK, that's a new one.

What makes you think that?

[Herlock Sholmes]

The home-made cabinet door was was broken off, it was not clear how.
Theory?: the thief, discovering there was little in the cash-box (circled), went for the next likely place in the time available.

Completely avoiding Julia’s bag which was in open view. No drawers were opened either downstairs or up either. In the front bedroom the bed was messed up and two pillows were thrown into the fire grate. No disturbance of any kind in any other room. So our sneak thief apparently went upstairs just to make a mess of the bed!

I’m assuming that the suggestion is that the cupboard was broken into Post Mortem as it wouldn’t have been a very ‘sneak-thief’ act pulling a cupboard door off it’s hinges with any ensuing noise. Julia’s jewellery was also left.

“in the time available” - he didn’t appear rushed as he pointlessly went around turning off the lights.

I just can’t see how anyone could call this a robbery?

[RodCrosby]

All disinformation and misrepresentation.

Surely people are getting bored with this asinine destructiveness by now?

The handbag was not in open view. It was mostly hidden, on the small chair tucked under the table.

The pillows were not thrown into the fire grate. They were on the floor of the bedroom.

The consensus of most authors is that the bedroom disorder had nothing to do with the crime. Julia had been darning one of the bed-sheets.

It's on the kitchen table in the photo...

[moste]

Yes, Abby.
Talk his way in, then talk his way out, after obtaining the ONE thing he had come for...

My own grandmother, then in her eighties and living about 4 miles from Wolverton Street had similar encounters with "visitors" and intruders, once being threatened with her own poker...

My old mum had a trick . On more than one occasion over the years and living alone in similar home circumstances as Mrs. Wallace ,on believing she heard a noise from the front door, would go to the door but shout up the stairs”Jim, get down here someone’s trying to break in!”. This was followed thankfully by dead silence.
It may be significant, that growing up in South Manchester,( about 4 miles from Piccadilly) over a 21 year period ,we were broken into twice , there was no evidence of any rifling through draws etc.but in both cases the gas meter lock was smashed off and 4 or 5 bob taken . Point being ,the main target in homes of the type Wallace lived in would have been the gas meter box.The fact that their gas meter was intact would of course mean the burglar was interrupted , or William did a poor job of feigning a burglary.(which I subscribe to). Incidently ,to the uninitiated, the tool of choice for gas meter jobs was a 4 LB lump hammer. (Murder weapon?)and steel cold chisel.

[RodCrosby]

The stuff that gets posted here never ceases to amaze....

5 bob in the gas meter, or £100 in the cash-box. £6000 in today's money...

No-one would be tempted by that. Perish the thought....

[Herlock Sholmes]

All disinformation and misrepresentation.

Surely people are getting bored with this asinine destructiveness by now?

The handbag was not in open view. It was mostly hidden, on the small chair tucked under the table.

The pillows were not thrown into the fire grate. They were on the floor of the bedroom.

The consensus of most authors is that the bedroom disorder had nothing to do with the crime. Julia had been darning one of the bed-sheets.

It's on the kitchen table in the photo...

No. People are getting bored with your arrogance and with your constant bleating about disinformation and representatation.

Pathetic quibbling.

The bag was on a chair near the table. End of.

On the floor near the fire grate. What’s the difference?

Where is the evidence of money or valuables being searched for? £4 from the cash box and one cupboard door pulled off. That’s it. That’s your ‘robbery.’

Wriggle all you like Rodders.

This was transparently no robbery. It was premeditated murder. By the only suspect in the case. Wallace.

[NickB]

OK, that's a new one.

What makes you think that?

It seems to me the most likely explanation. When I suggested it previously Antony countered with 5 objections ...

https://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=9701&page=121

I thought his strongest objection was the last one, which we have just agreed is not necessarily true.

[RodCrosby]

O...K.

two points.

a) how does this unconnected visitor/thief/killer get past the threshold?
b) how does he know Wallace will be out to even consider it worthwhile in calling?