Pensioner arrested on suspicion of murdering 86-year-old Una Crown, who was found dead at home 11 years ago

15 April 2024, 15:26 | Updated: 15 April 2024, 15:42

Una Crown pictured with her husband Jack
Una Crown pictured with her husband Jack. Picture: Cambridgeshire Constabulary

By Kit Heren

A pensioner has been arrested on suspicion of murdering an 86-year-old woman who was found dead at home in 2013.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

A 69-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of murdering Una Crown in the Cambridgeshire village of Wisbech over 11 years earlier.

Officers said that the pensioner, who was detained on Monday morning, was being held at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough.

Ms Crown was found dead in her bungalow in January 2013, lying in a pool of blood in her hallway. Her clothes were burned and she had stab wounds to her neck.

The widower, who lived alone, had also been robbed of her wedding ring and £40. Her husband had died years earlier.

Read more: Three 16-year-olds charged with murder after 17-year-old stabbed to death in street

Read more: Man, 25, charged with murder after mother was stabbed to death as she pushed pram in Bradford

Una Crown
Una Crown. Picture: Cambridgeshire Police

Her death was initially treated as an accident by police.

Officers thought that she had set herself on fire while lighting the stove, and had cut her own throat by accident with her scarf.

But after her post-mortem four days later police launched a murder investigation.

Two men were arrested in 2014 but were later released without being charged. Crimestoppers offered a £20,000 reward in 2023.

The Cambridgeshire police officers who investigated the murder were criticised by the force's own professional standards department for making "flawed decisions" during the probe.

Ms Crown's family also criticised the police's efforts in 2013.