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The Murder in Motspur Park One Year On Nothing Resolved

On Feb 9th 2015 a year ago, Ray Mills, aged 66 years,  was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife Linda Mills with knives and a hammer.  Both were “known” to the local community in that residents saw them out and about, but both rarely spoke to anyone other than their next door neighbour. On June 8th 2015 Ray Mills died in Wandworth prison however this never was  reported until 14th July.

Ray Mills

Ray Mills never came to trial as three court hearings were adjourned as psychiatric reports were not available. Ray Mills thus had been in custody for four months before his death.

The news of his death  came four days after coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox called for a formal investigation into the alarming number of deaths at Wandsworth Prison.

During a pre-inquest hearing into the suicides of two men who shared the same cell and hung themselves months apart, she said the inquest could not go on because of various “themes and common issues” of deaths at the UK’s largest prison.

Eleven men died at the category B prison last year – which she said was three times more than would be expected at a prison. It is not clear whether she knew about Mr Mills and whether his death was included in that figure.

The Ministry of Justice has yet to comment on how Mr Mills died in prison. And that is essentially where we are now.

The house remains in the same condition with a small padlock on the door and no signs of any activity or potential sale. One wonders as what might be happening inside of course.

Ray and Linda Mills House where the murder took place

An inquest into his death has been opened at Westminster Coroners’ Court. The case was due to be reviewed by a coroner on December 7. There is nothing reported regarding this inquest.

So one year on, Ray Mills must be presumed to have murdered his wife, however in the absence of a trial details and proof are unlikely to ever be known. The local residents are not so happy that the house remains closed and uncared for, and details of the cause of death of Ray Mills remain unknown, however one suspects that suicide must be one of the more likely possibilities. 

Motspur Park remains a sleepy suburb, half in borough of Merton and the other half in the borough of Kingston. We must await further information.

Mills was awaiting trial at Isleworth Crown Court when he died at Wandsworth Prison on 8 June 2015. An inquest is to take place at Westminster Coroners Court on a date yet to be decided.

Motspur Park Train Station 2016