Jill Dando

Yes I watched the programme because it's one of those that stays with you especially when the perpetrator hasn't been caught.
It had always shocked me that police could arrest Barry George on the fact that traces of gun-residue had been found in the pocket of a coat 12 months later. You don't arrest and charge someone on those grounds !

Barry George was never compensated for his time in prison after the quashing of his case " because he wasn't innocent enough ?" It's about time that this phrase was clarified.

Whoever killed Jill Dando must have had nerves of steel since her murder occurred during the day and on her street where anyone could have been passing by.

I think it's a very strange case and it has given rise to several conspiracy theories.

Did it mention where she'd been returning from ?

Eloethan I saw the end of a documentry last week,not sure which channel it was on which went with the theory that Jill Dando was killed by a contract killer from abroad,how true this is I just don't know as I never watched the whole programme.It may be worth searching catchup to see if the programme can be found.

She was living in Chiswick with her fiance and it would seem that she only came back to her house spasmodically so someone must have known she would be there at that time which I found odd.

Which means that someone had been tracking her movements Dragonfly as opposed to there being a contract killer.
A mistake was made during the news bulletins of the murder first saying that Jill had been killed with a knife. Subsequent news items then said that Jill had been shot. Given the amount of blood it would have seemed like a knife attack but depending where the shots were on the body then copious amounts of blood would also be seen, i.e. head/neck/carotid area and other areas of arterial bloodflow.

One single bullet had been used.

I lived in Chiswick at the time and have a friend who still lives in Gowan Avenue, Fulham, where Jill Dando lived and was murdered, so I know the area well - can't believe it's been 20 years.

A strange case indeed with all the hit-man conspiracy theories.

Had she been killed with a knife I would have put it down to 'opportunistic/wrong place wrong time' but the use of a gun, 20 years' ago, makes me lean towards her being personally targeted. Not necessarily a 'professional' hit-man, as it was broad daylight.

I would have thought a contract killer would indeed track their victim very carefully.

I thought the programme would be too upsetting to watch even after all this time, but in fact it was extremely interesting (as well as upsetting).

Perhaps we will never know for sure who carried out this - described as 'an execution'.
It was mentioned that a man had been loitering around in Gowan Avenue on several occasions previously.

As far as George was concerned, imo the evidence was not strong enough for a sound conviction but that does not prove his innocence either.

It had always shocked me that police could arrest Barry George on the fact that traces of gun-residue had been found in the pocket of a coat 12 months later
There are several categories of gun residue and the fragment found in the pocket matched that found on the cartridge left at the scene and on Jill Dando's hair.
However, that fragment could have been picked up any time since and from somewhere else altogether.

So that particular evidence was not enough for a sound conviction.

We can’t ignore the fact that evidence can be planted

Why ever would Jill have been the target of a hit man??? I must make time to watch this on catch up. I remember being so shocked when i heard the news that day.

I was on my way to Vienna at the time, and saw the headline on a news hoarding, I suppose at Heathrow. The friend who was with me said “I’ve just seen something I can’t believe”.

As with all high profile crimes, especially unsolved ones, there are a lot of ludicrous conspiracy theories around.

My sentiments too Anniebach. I think this stinks of a cover-up somewhere.

I agree Ellan

I know it sounds macabre, but I was wanting to know where that one bullet hit to cause so much blood which was spread too.

I am interested in crime etc, hence my curiosity.

The theory was that she was done in by HM Government.She was investigating the paedophile rings with links to Westminster and she refused (allegedly) to back down .So she had to go !

She wasn’t an investigating journalist, she was a tv presenter, crime watch and holiday programmes

Beware conspiracy theories. Fantasists at work.

It happens when police can't solve a crime Grandma70's.!
As a last resort they arrested Barry George to justify their " detecting skills ". Good job he had a good QC working for him.

The theory was that she was done in by HM Government.She was investigating the paedophile rings with links to Westminster and she refused (allegedly) to back down .So she had to go !

Whose theory was this paddyann?

As to a cover-up, why? And how could this be sustained - she worked for the BBC.

I can't imagine her colleagues would conspire with a cover-up!

Too many conspiracy-theorists around IMO.

She was a pleasant lightweight tv presenter,

The theory was that she was done in by HM Government.She was investigating the paedophile rings with links to Westminster and she refused (allegedly) to back down .So she had to go !
There is no evidence for that theory paddyann

Apparently she had put out an appeal to help refugees:
The widow of a Serbian journalist, murdered in almost identical circumstances, has come forward to say she is convinced Miss Dando was shot by a hitman acting on orders from the Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic.
Branka Prpa, a historian, believes Miss Dando became a target after presenting a BBC appeal on behalf of Kosovan-Albanian refugees driven from their homes by militias backing Milosevic.
Both victims were high profile journalists who had upset the Serbian regime. Both were returning home when they were approached from behind, forced to the ground and shot in the head at close range.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9120523/Jill-Dando-murdered-by-Serbian-hitman.html

Another possibility but I doubt we will ever know the truth.