a6 murder

[jimarilyn]

Hi jimarilyn

One thing that has always puzzled me, though, concerns the events towards the end of Miss Storie’s ordeal in the Morris Minor. My understanding of the circumstances leading directly to Gregsten being shot and killed is that the gunman had decided he was tired and needed to sleep. In order to do this he needed to tie up his captives.

(Frankly, though, I think it is ludicrous to suppose that a gunman would go to sleep in a Morris Minor with two people bound in the front of the car!)

Apparently the gunman tied Miss Storie and then looked for something to tie Gregsten, and at this point the duffle bag was brought forth. Gregsten was shot!

This of course puts the gun in the shooting hand of the gunman, he pulled the trigger instantaneously that he perceived a threat from Gregsten. A few minutes before this he had got out of the car with Gregsten, found a piece of cord in the boot and used this together with Gregsten’s tie to bind Valerie’s hands behind her back and lash her to a point on the back door.

Did the gunman tie up Miss Storie using one hand? Was he holding the gun in the other? I don’t know the answer, but I think it takes two hands to tie someone up, which would have meant putting the gun aside for a moment, in his lap perhaps, and would this not have been a better opportunity for Mike to attack the gunman?

One can only speculate ….

Kind regards,
Steve

Hi Steve,

An excellent post. Has certainly given me much food for thought. It has never been clear to me the exact sequence of events that occurred that night in the Morris Minor. As for speculation, alas that's all any of us can do in trying to unravel the many mysteries and anomalies of this case.

[Steve]

The gunman took their money and watches. Valerie managed to hide her money in her bra. The gunman later returned the money, and the watches were found strapped to Valerie's wrist.

Perhaps the motive was the car, transport home, and perhaps it was a bonus that it came complete with a chauffer!

[richardnunweek]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for clearing that up, however, must ask the question 'When was the money returned?.
Was it before the gunman opened fire on Valerie.? if so what would be the point of her offering the killer a pound note from her bra assets.
If it was after the gunman had believed he had killed Valerie, why would he return the money ?
A guilt complex.?
This is a very strange case.
Regards Richard.

[Steve]

Bra assets ... I like it.

I don't know if all the money was returned, but the gunman gave Gregsten some of the money back to buy petrol.

After the shooting I believe it was only the watches that were returned, the gunman must at some point have strapped Gregsten's watch to Valerie's wrist without her knowing about it. I can't think at what this happened, but according to the reports this is what the gunman must have done.

As you say, very strange,

[jimarilyn]

Hi Steve and Richard,

Yes indeed a very strange and complex case. Another thing I've often wondered about is this..... did the killer deliberatey choose Deadman's Hill as the location for Michael Gregsten's demise. Just a coincidence ?

[Steve]

My own view is that it was happenstance, but it has been suggested that Hanratty chose the place deliberately, or at least that he knew the lay-by and had been there before. Personally, I think it was just an accident of fate that they ended up in that particular spot.

[jimarilyn]

I don’t know how Alphon got his money, probably only Alphon himself knows that, and I’m quite certain that he is not going to tell us now.

KR
Steve

Hi Steve,

Do I detect from this last sentence that Alphon has very recently "shuffled off this mortal coil" ?

[richardnunweek]

Steve,
Taking everything into account we can suggest that the initial motive was robbery with not much planning involved.
Whoever the gunman was , he appeared to have either been of low intelligence, or drunk, or on drugs, for he seemed to have got himself in a situation without any due thought.
His remarks about the gun being so large he felt 'Like a cowboy' seems somewhat child like, it is almost like he was playing for time throughout those five hours, his mind riddled with indecision.
The suggestion that he wanted a kip.. is another indication, that here was a man who really did not know what he was about, to believe he could fall asleep in the back seat in complete safety, simply by strapping the occupants in the front, mavby for several hours is hardly the actions of a man with all his faculties.
And after shooting Michael in the head[ twice] at point blank range, with all the mess involved, he then decides that he might as well have intercourse with a horrified Valerie, and I imagine he therefore released Valerie from her bonds and instructed her to join him in the back seat, and adjusted himself and her clothing to commit the sex act, complete with this weapon in his hand[revolver that is].
And after this was over, had a second urge to pump many bullets into young Valerie, give her a kicking , and then drive away the car, which he could have down in the first place.
My thoughts as I pour another pint of Nectar.
Regards Richard.

[Steve]

Also, I was under the impression that William Ewer owned an Antiques Shop.

At the time Ewer's business was described as an 'Art Dealer' and it seems that he moved premises on more than one occasion. Ewer lived in Golders Green, an area of North London well known for its Jewish community, and travelled down the road to work each day to Swiss Cottage. He moved premises within The Arcade at some point between numbers 7 and 10.

I think it is also possible that there was more than one William Ewer trading in antiques in North London at about the same time.

[Steve]

Hi Steve,

Do I detect from this last sentence that Alphon has very recently "shuffled off this mortal coil" ?

No, I believe he is still alive.

[richardnunweek]

Hi Steve,
With Reference to Alphon. I had the impression that he died some time back, I definately remember a reference to that, are you certain he is still amongst us?
Richard.

[Steve]

Whoever the gunman was , he appeared to have either been of low intelligence, or drunk, or on drugs, for he seemed to have got himself in a situation without any due thought.

My thoughts as I pour another pint of Nectar.
Regards Richard.

Hi Richard

Enjoy your pint of Nectar. I believe being on drugs was not common place in 1961 England, it took the Rolling Stones and the United States of America to introduce narcotics to middle-England!

Had the gunman been drunk I feel sure that Miss Storie would have noticed and would have commented accordingly.

Hanratty, however, certainly had problems on the intelligence front, having been classed as a mental defective, and had been known to get himself into situations without due thought.

Kind regards,
Steve

[Steve]

Hi Steve,
With Reference to Alphon. I had the impression that he died some time back, I definately remember a reference to that, are you certain he is still amongst us?
Richard.

Richard

Yes, he is still alive and living in North London.

KR
Steve

[jimarilyn]

No, I believe he is still alive.

Hi Steve,

Is he still living in some sheltered housing accomodation in London as he was a few months back ? I wonder how he passes his time these days and if he ever thinks about the A6 murder. I wonder if he's left a will and maybe a vital piece of evidence. It would be very interesting indeed if he could be coaxed into a nice quiet pub...........

[richardnunweek]

Steve,
You are right in suggesting that the term 'Drugs' did not become media until after 63, however when I frequented coffee bars in 1960/62, the popular Purple hearts were around.[ I prefered a Strand Cigarette]
I am not suggesting drug related, to be the solution, and you are proberly spot on in suggesting the killer was a person who was mentally immature.
Richard.