June 14, 2024 • 27 mins
On a quiet morning in April 1999, the UK was shaken by the brutal murder of beloved BBC presenter Jill Dando. As she approached her home in Fulham, London, Jill was suddenly attacked and shot in the head at point-blank range. Her lifeless body was discovered minutes later, leading to one of the largest and most intense criminal investigations in British history. Despite extensive efforts and numerous theories, her murder remains unsolved, leaving the nation and her family searching for answers even many years later
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:21 - Who Was Jill Dando?
02:36 - The Day of the Murder
04:19 - The Investigation
07:18 - The Murder Weapon
09:15 - The Footage
11:21 - Alibis Abound
12:34 - Falsely Accused
15:24 - Theory #1 - A Murder of Opportunity
18:02 - Theory #2 - A Local Criminal
19:31 - Theory #3 - The Serbian Hitman
22:10 - The Investigation Today
25:10 - End
For More on the Yugoslav War:
Balkans war: a brief guide - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17632399
A Kosovo Chronology | War In Europe | FRONTLINE | PBS
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kosovo/etc/cron.html
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
In the glittering world of celebrity, where fame and fortune seemed to offer an impenetrable
(00:05):
shield, the illusion of invincibility can be shattered in an instant.
For Jill Dando, a beloved figure in the realm of BBC News, the dream of a life filled with
success and security took a tragic and unexpected turn.
As she basked in the glow of her achievements, little did she know that the very prominence
(00:30):
that had brought her stability and comfort would also paint a target on her back.
In a cruel twist of fate, the fairytale existence she had worked so hard to build would be forever
marred by an act of senseless violence.
It reminds us all that even the most seemingly protected among us are not immune to the darkness
(00:52):
that lurks in the shadows of our world.
On April 26, 1999, the shooting death of a beloved BBC newscaster rocked a nation to
its core.
The crime happened outside in broad daylight, but has nevertheless remained unsolved to
this day.
Join me for a dive into the odd and mysterious Jill Dando murder case.
(01:21):
Jill Dando was a household name in the UK before celebrating her 37th birthday.
She was born in Somerset, England in 1961.
She went on to study journalism at the South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education.
She then took a job as a reporter for the local Weston Mercury.
(01:42):
Eventually, she landed a gig as a print reporter for the BBC.
She soon started taking on opportunities to present the news on television, and in 1988
she received an offer to join the BBC national news broadcast team.
With her warm nature, bright smile, and impeccable fashion sense, she was soon a popular and
(02:06):
beloved public figure.
She eventually went on to host several BBC news and talk show programs, including a popular
true crime show called Crime Watch.
Jill recently became engaged to a doctor named Alan Farthing and had moved into his
home in Chiswick.
She was in the process of selling her own home at 29 Gowan Avenue in Fulham.
(02:30):
The future looked bright.
On the morning of the 26th, Jill left her fiancé's home and drove back to Fulham.
She stopped for gas and then did a little shopping, picking up groceries and other items.
Around 11.30 am, she parked her car and walked up the front path to her door.
(02:53):
There has never been any evidence to suggest that anyone followed her home that day.
Someone met her at the doorstep, shooting her once in the head.
The neighbor heard her car alarm and a scream, but never heard a gunshot.
The neighbor waited 15 minutes before going to check on Jill.
The neighbor likely did what most of us do when we hear weird, unexpected sounds in our
(03:19):
neighborhoods.
Try to figure out if the sound meant trouble or if it was just someone horsing around.
The neighbor ultimately called emergency services when they found Jill dead.
Even though she was clearly deceased, a medical team tried to revive her before bringing
her to the hospital.
(03:40):
Jill Dando was confirmed dead at 1.03 pm.
She'd been shot at point blank range.
The news shocked the nation.
Gun violence is rare in the UK and it's especially scarce in neighborhoods like Fulham.
Witnesses later said they saw a man with dark hair running down the street and wearing a
(04:01):
suit.
Some said they saw a handgun.
He noted that he was a middle-aged man with a swarthy Mediterranean complexion.
Soon the suspect was given a nickname by the media.
They called him Man X.
The emergency services team had good intentions, but they left the crime scene hopelessly contaminated.
(04:26):
There were eight people present, including three doctors.
They left shoe prints, clothing fibers, and their own DNA all over the scene.
Executive Chief Inspector Hamish Campbell, originally the lead detective on the case,
was frustrated that they didn't just declare Jill dead at the scene and seal it up for
(04:46):
examination.
It's possible Jill's fame caused the medical team to hold out hope well beyond the point
where it was reasonable to do so.
Police were able to rule out robbery as a motive right away.
Jill was wearing expensive jewelry and a pricey watch.
The killer took neither of those items.
(05:06):
He didn't even try to take off with her BMW, though her keys were still in her hand.
The public rushed in to help, and swiftly overwhelmed investigators with tips.
Some of those tips were useful, but most of them were red herrings and dead ends.
Over 2,000 individuals were named as potential suspects.
(05:31):
The police ended up taking over 2,400 statements and tracing 1,200 vehicles.
Police released a composite sketch of Man X, a move that some investigators later called
a mistake, as it mainly resulted in useless tips from a public eager to help.
They also released details about a vehicle of interest.
(05:53):
It was a metallic blue Range Rover that they thought might have been a getaway car that
had failed to show up on time.
Shortly after Jill's murder, the BBC received a call.
The caller appeared to be a Serbian.
Police took this call very seriously.
(06:14):
And here's why.
On April 23, 1999, just days before Jill's murder, British and US warplanes bombed the
radio television Serbia building in Belgrade.
The bombing killed 16 of the news organization's employees.
The UK and the US claimed the bombing was justified because the station was part of
(06:38):
the Serbian propaganda machine.
Justified or not, the bombing drew outrage.
The caller said, your Prime Minister Blair butchered innocent young people.
We butchered back, if you'd like more context about the Yugoslav wars, I'll link some
(06:58):
coverage of it in the story notes.
It may seem like the idea of a Serbian hitman killing Jill Dando sounds far-fetched.
If so, you're not alone.
But don't discount the possibility just yet.
There's more to come later in the story.
(07:19):
Forensic examination of the shell casing and the bullet suggested the murder weapon
was a 9mm, one that was perhaps modified at first.
The weapon seemed to point away from the theory that the killer was a professional.
Though initial theories had the killer using a silencer to shoot Jill, the weapon itself
seemed to be a modified starting pistol or a reactivated firearm with a low muzzle velocity.
(07:45):
Police doubted any such gun could have come from a hitman.
But there was reason to believe the modified starter pistol theory was incorrect.
To understand why, you need to learn just a little bit about 9mm guns.
There are two types of 9mm ammunition.
One is called the short.
And the other is called the parabellum.
(08:08):
Both terms relate to the length of the casing.
The short has a 17mm casing length.
A parabellum round has a 19mm casing.
The longer parabellum round is more common.
And it's a popular choice for police officers and militaries worldwide.
But Jill was killed by the less powerful 9mm short.
(08:30):
A 9mm short could be the modified starter pistol that the police thought they were looking
for.
The cartridge bore crimping scratches.
At the very least, someone had used a tool on the cartridge, perhaps to tighten the gun's
grip on the bullet.
But a 9mm short could also be a Beretta or a Walther PPK.
(08:54):
These small handguns have been used in several other overseas assassinations.
A Serbian professional might well have chosen such a weapon.
Finding the murder weapon would help.
Police think it's somewhere at the bottom of the River Thames.
There's a good chance it will never be located.
(09:16):
While police had some initial CCTV footage to work with, mostly captured from the bus
stop nearest to 29 Gowen, it took some time to find and construct all of it.
The footage was also grainy, making it difficult to pick out details.
Eventually, law enforcement received CCTV from multiple sources and locations, and was
(09:39):
thus able to establish a clear narrative of the killer's movements after the shooting.
Initially, police believed that someone had walked up behind Jill and had shot her at
point blank range with a silencer.
But now they know better.
Instead, the killer had been lying in wait.
He grabbed Jill from behind and forced her head nearly to the ground.
(10:03):
He then pressed the firearm directly against her skull right behind her left ear.
This is called a hard contact attack.
It served the dual purpose of both muffling the shot and killing her instantly.
The bullet passed directly through her brain.
Man X would have had a moment to verify that she was definitely dead before rising to his
(10:25):
feet.
Man X, who was unmasked, rose and calmly closed the gate at her residence.
Only then did he realize he'd been seen.
Apparently, that was also the moment he realized his getaway driver was nowhere in sight.
So he ran to the 220 bus stop.
(10:45):
Sweating, he boarded the bus.
There was no CCTV on the bus, but it looks like he got off two stops later at Fulham
Palace Road.
Cameras picked him up again at the Putney Bridge Tube Station, which was right next to
that stop.
Man X was on the phone as he entered the station.
He purchased a ticket and navigated the barriers.
(11:08):
Then Man X made an abrupt turnaround and exited the station, re-emerging through the exit
barrier.
Police believe he was on the phone with his wayward getaway driver.
Most people who get murdered are killed by people who know them.
The culprit is often a spouse and ex, or a lover of the victim.
(11:32):
This reason required the police to start looking at Jill's relationship history in
the hopes of finding the elusive man X.
Police interviewed her fiance, Alan Farthing.
They also interviewed Jill's ex-partner, Bob Wheaton, who was a BBC Breakfast News
editor.
They talked to Simon Basil, a South African game warden she had once dated, and her agent,
(11:57):
John Roseman, earned particular scrutiny because he'd once written a novel that included an
eerily similar scene.
Investigators went after every romantic fling she'd ever had and any person she'd ever
dated.
They even looked at a Russian crime lord who was allegedly besotted with Jill on the theory
(12:20):
he could have had her killed for rejecting his advances.
Every single man on the list had an alibi.
They even had to clear the Russian crime lord.
As wrongful convictions go, Barry George does not cut a particularly sympathetic figure.
(12:42):
Barry was the local weirdo.
He'd already been convicted of an attempted rape at one point.
He'd tried out a career as a stuntman, only to fail, and he often went around using various
pseudonyms so he could claim to be related to multiple rock stars like Queen's Freddie
Mercury.
Once, police found Barry hiding in the bushes at Kensington Palace.
(13:07):
He was wearing khaki, carrying a knife, and holding a length of rope.
Barry knew how to shoot.
He'd spent nearly a year in the territorial army before he was discharged in November
of 1982.
Several women had complained that he'd either bothered them or stalked them.
So when police searched his house and found no fewer than four copies of the Jildando
(13:33):
Memorial issue of the BBC in House Magazine called Ariel, they took a good close look
at Barry.
What they found was a microscopic particle in one of his pockets, one that could have
been a ballistic match for the murder weapon.
The particle and Barry's history were more than enough to put him away for eight years.
(13:56):
And during those years, Britain considered the Jildando case closed.
But Barry's sister didn't believe it was him, and neither did his lawyer, William Clegg.
For one thing, it seemed highly unlikely that Barry had the intelligence to pull off such
a clean one shot kill and get away.
(14:19):
Barry George has an IQ of 75, which places him in the lowest 5% of the population.
He's tested at the bottom 1% for memory and executive functioning tests.
But it wasn't doubts in Barry's ability or motives, which would unravel the entire case.
(14:39):
It turns out there was an issue with the alleged firearm particle found in his pocket.
In a 2008 retrial, Clegg was able to prove that this little fragment could have come
from literally any source.
And the prosecution was unable to establish if the particle had even come from a gun in
the first place.
(15:01):
Barry's conviction was overturned, and he immediately launched a wrongful imprisonment
case.
He lost that case, though he won several cases against newspapers for printing defamatory
information about him.
He now lives with his sister in Ireland.
These days, even the police don't seem to take Barry very seriously as a suspect.
(15:25):
Jill's brother Nigel is also an investigative journalist, though he retired in 2017.
He's heard all the other theories I'm about to go over, and he believes them all to be
fanciful.
Instead, Nigel believes that someone happened to see and recognize Jill that day, and took
(15:45):
their shot for what he called five minutes of notoriety.
Many investigators continue to favor an obsessive loner or obsessed fan theory, and these two
scenarios could also be in line with Nigel's beliefs.
Nigel has brought up the point that nobody could have known where and when Jill would
return to her home that day, because she was hardly ever there.
(16:08):
She was usually in Chiswick, and it's likely only a handful of people knew where she was
going.
I respect Nigel's desire to move on.
The endless quest for answers that don't ever seem to arrive must be exhausting, and
perhaps there is some comfort in putting it all aside and resolving it mentally as one
of the many random, senseless acts that happen around the world every day.
(16:32):
Nevertheless, there are a few problems with Nigel's opportunistic murder theory.
There's the matter of the getaway car.
Police have never told the public how they determined that a metallic blue Range Rover
was involved, or how they knew that it was the getaway car.
But it seems reasonable to assume they had some piece of evidence, video, or a witness
(16:56):
statement that told them a failed getaway driver did indeed exist.
An opportunist wouldn't have a car lined up.
And then there's the fact that the killer was lying in wait for Jill.
An obsessed fan could perhaps have been lurking outside of her house for days.
But it was hardly an isolated neighborhood.
(17:18):
If the killer had been around for very long, it seems like someone would have noticed him.
Also, he would have had to attend to everyday needs, like eating and sleeping.
If this opportunistic stalker had been waiting for days, he would have had to leave and return
to the property multiple times without being noticed.
(17:41):
Is the Range Rover a red herring?
Is Nigel correct?
Could Man X truly be some random individual who just wanted five minutes in the spotlight?
If so, why did the only attempt to take credit for the murders come from a Serbian claiming
it was a retaliation killing?
(18:03):
Anyone involved with true crime shows like mine fantasizes about somehow helping to solve
the crimes we cover.
However, for the BBC True Crime Show, Crime Watch, which ran from 1984 to 2017, the fantasy
was reality.
The show is credited with helping to solve some of Britain's most notorious crimes,
(18:26):
including the murder of James Bulger, the murder of Sarah Payne, and more.
It was natural for police to wonder if someone who Jill had helped put behind bars was behind
her murder.
Detectives investigated and ruled out 30 criminals whom Crime Watch had helped to put
away.
(18:47):
They even spoke to members of organized crime rackets and professional hitmen who might
have known of the crime.
But as far as I know, they couldn't tie a single Crime Watch suspect to the scene of
Jill's murder.
Many had an alibi by virtue of being in prison on the day the murder was committed.
(19:07):
However, it doesn't seem like investigators have ruled out the criminal revenge theory
entirely.
Does this theory make sense to you?
Is it possible investigators missed someone or something while working on this angle?
Do you suspect a friend or family member of a jailed suspect?
(19:32):
The phone call to the BBC that took credit for the murders brought the Serbian hitman
narrative into the mix early.
And a debate began to rage about whether the killer was a professional.
But here's why some investigators think the criminal was definitely not a professional
killer.
First, many of the hitmen the police interviewed expressed disdain for the killer's method.
(19:59):
They said they'd never trust a single bullet to kill a mark.
It seems that double tapping is more than a Hollywood concept.
It's the way most of the world's hitmen prefer to operate.
Of course, the manner of Jill's murder hardly required a double tap.
As mentioned, she died instantly and the killer would have had time to verify that fact.
(20:22):
Also, most professionals won't leave evidence like a shell casing at the crime scene.
And few professional killers would approach a victim in broad daylight, especially without
wearing gloves or a mask.
But just as investigators had decided to discard this theory of a professional killer, a new
(20:43):
break came in the case.
On April 22, 2024, a facial comparison expert named Emi Polito reviewed the CCTV evidence
and he gave police the name of an actual suspect.
It wasn't just a nameless theoretical Serbian hitman, but an actual Serbian, a man named
(21:04):
Ulamek.
He was the former commander of the Serbian State Security Unit for Special Operation.
Ulamek is serving jail time in Serbia right now.
Human rights groups say Ulamek worked with whole units of assassins.
During the Yugoslav wars, they were responsible for some of the worst atrocities, including
(21:24):
the murder of a Serbian journalist.
This journalist was an outspoken critic of the Yugoslavian president.
Similar to Jill's murder, the Serbian journalist was also shot in front of his home in central
Belgrade in broad daylight.
It happened on April 11, 1999, only 15 days before Jill's killing.
(21:45):
And there would have been plenty of time for these professional killers to travel from
Belgrade to Jill's home in London after that murder.
Are you convinced by the facial comparison and the similar method of the killings?
Do you think the Ulamek theory seems plausible?
Or will Ulamek become one more dead end in this baffling case?
(22:11):
Police can't pin the crime on Ulamek based on the facial comparison alone.
Remember, the CCTV pictures weren't entirely clear.
Polito is going on the similarity of features and his expertise, but the police did reach
out to Ulamek.
His lawyer rebuffed their questions, and Ulamek himself refused to weigh in.
(22:33):
One skeptical detective raised the point that most Serbian assassinations would have been
ordered by Arkhan, the notorious Serbian warlord.
And it just so happens that John Simpson, another BBC journalist, was meeting with Arkhan
for an interview on the same day of the other journalist's murder in Belgrade.
(22:56):
If Arkhan wanted to retaliate against a journalist, why didn't he kill John Simpson?
It's a fair question, but I can think of some answers.
One reason is because Jill had covered multiple Yugoslav war stories throughout the late 1990s,
and on April 6, 1999, she fronted a BBC crisis appeal.
(23:19):
It raised more than one million pounds in just 24 hours, and it was aid meant for refugees
fleeing the ethnic cleansings in the Balkans.
This was just 20 days before she was killed.
While grandfatherly John Simpson no doubt would have been mourned, I don't think killing
John at the interview would have had the same shock value.
(23:42):
While the brutal murder of a high-profile, beloved female household name like Jill,
made in front of her own house, was absolutely shocking.
If you're watching from the UK, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this theory.
Another reason for making Ulamak a valid suspect is because the assassination orders did not
necessarily have to come from Arkhan himself.
(24:06):
The fact that Ulamak ran teams could answer one of the significant questions about this
case.
How did the killer know Jill would be at the house?
Maybe he didn't have to.
Perhaps he had team members stationed at Farthing's home, at Jill's house, and at
places they were both known to frequent.
Maybe one of them caught sight of her doing her shopping, deduced she was on her way home,
(24:30):
and got into position.
The presence of a getaway driver, however inept, certainly lends support to the idea that an
entire kill team could have been operating that day.
Police are certainly taking Ulamak seriously as a suspect.
They've begun conducting a complete forensic examination of all the original CCTV footage,
(24:52):
as well as all the recovered finger and palm prints to see if they can get a match.
Perhaps they'll have some information to share with the public very soon.
Let's hope investigators are closer than ever to solving the tragic murder of Jill Dando.
I want you to know that listeners like you are the most important people to odd mystery
(25:17):
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(25:41):
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(26:04):
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(26:26):
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In the glittering world of celebrity, where fame and fortune seemed to offer an impenetrable
(00:05):
shield, the illusion of invincibility can be shattered in an instant.
For Jill Dando, a beloved figure in the realm of BBC News, the dream of a life filled with
success and security took a tragic and unexpected turn.
As she basked in the glow of her achievements, little did she know that the very prominence
(00:30):
that had brought her stability and comfort would also paint a target on her back.
In a cruel twist of fate, the fairytale existence she had worked so hard to build would be forever
marred by an act of senseless violence.
It reminds us all that even the most seemingly protected among us are not immune to the darkness
(00:52):
that lurks in the shadows of our world.
On April 26, 1999, the shooting death of a beloved BBC newscaster rocked a nation to
its core.
The crime happened outside in broad daylight, but has nevertheless remained unsolved to
this day.
Join me for a dive into the odd and mysterious Jill Dando murder case.
(01:21):
Jill Dando was a household name in the UK before celebrating her 37th birthday.
She was born in Somerset, England in 1961.
She went on to study journalism at the South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education.
She then took a job as a reporter for the local Weston Mercury.
(01:42):
Eventually, she landed a gig as a print reporter for the BBC.
She soon started taking on opportunities to present the news on television, and in 1988
she received an offer to join the BBC national news broadcast team.
With her warm nature, bright smile, and impeccable fashion sense, she was soon a popular and
(02:06):
beloved public figure.
She eventually went on to host several BBC news and talk show programs, including a popular
true crime show called Crime Watch.
Jill recently became engaged to a doctor named Alan Farthing and had moved into his
home in Chiswick.
She was in the process of selling her own home at 29 Gowan Avenue in Fulham.
(02:30):
The future looked bright.
On the morning of the 26th, Jill left her fiancé's home and drove back to Fulham.
She stopped for gas and then did a little shopping, picking up groceries and other items.
Around 11.30 am, she parked her car and walked up the front path to her door.
(02:53):
There has never been any evidence to suggest that anyone followed her home that day.
Someone met her at the doorstep, shooting her once in the head.
The neighbor heard her car alarm and a scream, but never heard a gunshot.
The neighbor waited 15 minutes before going to check on Jill.
The neighbor likely did what most of us do when we hear weird, unexpected sounds in our
(03:19):
neighborhoods.
Try to figure out if the sound meant trouble or if it was just someone horsing around.
The neighbor ultimately called emergency services when they found Jill dead.
Even though she was clearly deceased, a medical team tried to revive her before bringing
her to the hospital.
(03:40):
Jill Dando was confirmed dead at 1.03 pm.
She'd been shot at point blank range.
The news shocked the nation.
Gun violence is rare in the UK and it's especially scarce in neighborhoods like Fulham.
Witnesses later said they saw a man with dark hair running down the street and wearing a
(04:01):
suit.
Some said they saw a handgun.
He noted that he was a middle-aged man with a swarthy Mediterranean complexion.
Soon the suspect was given a nickname by the media.
They called him Man X.
The emergency services team had good intentions, but they left the crime scene hopelessly contaminated.
(04:26):
There were eight people present, including three doctors.
They left shoe prints, clothing fibers, and their own DNA all over the scene.
Executive Chief Inspector Hamish Campbell, originally the lead detective on the case,
was frustrated that they didn't just declare Jill dead at the scene and seal it up for
(04:46):
examination.
It's possible Jill's fame caused the medical team to hold out hope well beyond the point
where it was reasonable to do so.
Police were able to rule out robbery as a motive right away.
Jill was wearing expensive jewelry and a pricey watch.
The killer took neither of those items.
(05:06):
He didn't even try to take off with her BMW, though her keys were still in her hand.
The public rushed in to help, and swiftly overwhelmed investigators with tips.
Some of those tips were useful, but most of them were red herrings and dead ends.
Over 2,000 individuals were named as potential suspects.
(05:31):
The police ended up taking over 2,400 statements and tracing 1,200 vehicles.
Police released a composite sketch of Man X, a move that some investigators later called
a mistake, as it mainly resulted in useless tips from a public eager to help.
They also released details about a vehicle of interest.
(05:53):
It was a metallic blue Range Rover that they thought might have been a getaway car that
had failed to show up on time.
Shortly after Jill's murder, the BBC received a call.
The caller appeared to be a Serbian.
Police took this call very seriously.
(06:14):
And here's why.
On April 23, 1999, just days before Jill's murder, British and US warplanes bombed the
radio television Serbia building in Belgrade.
The bombing killed 16 of the news organization's employees.
The UK and the US claimed the bombing was justified because the station was part of
(06:38):
the Serbian propaganda machine.
Justified or not, the bombing drew outrage.
The caller said, your Prime Minister Blair butchered innocent young people.
We butchered back, if you'd like more context about the Yugoslav wars, I'll link some
(06:58):
coverage of it in the story notes.
It may seem like the idea of a Serbian hitman killing Jill Dando sounds far-fetched.
If so, you're not alone.
But don't discount the possibility just yet.
There's more to come later in the story.
(07:19):
Forensic examination of the shell casing and the bullet suggested the murder weapon
was a 9mm, one that was perhaps modified at first.
The weapon seemed to point away from the theory that the killer was a professional.
Though initial theories had the killer using a silencer to shoot Jill, the weapon itself
seemed to be a modified starting pistol or a reactivated firearm with a low muzzle velocity.
(07:45):
Police doubted any such gun could have come from a hitman.
But there was reason to believe the modified starter pistol theory was incorrect.
To understand why, you need to learn just a little bit about 9mm guns.
There are two types of 9mm ammunition.
One is called the short.
And the other is called the parabellum.
(08:08):
Both terms relate to the length of the casing.
The short has a 17mm casing length.
A parabellum round has a 19mm casing.
The longer parabellum round is more common.
And it's a popular choice for police officers and militaries worldwide.
But Jill was killed by the less powerful 9mm short.
(08:30):
A 9mm short could be the modified starter pistol that the police thought they were looking
for.
The cartridge bore crimping scratches.
At the very least, someone had used a tool on the cartridge, perhaps to tighten the gun's
grip on the bullet.
But a 9mm short could also be a Beretta or a Walther PPK.
(08:54):
These small handguns have been used in several other overseas assassinations.
A Serbian professional might well have chosen such a weapon.
Finding the murder weapon would help.
Police think it's somewhere at the bottom of the River Thames.
There's a good chance it will never be located.
(09:16):
While police had some initial CCTV footage to work with, mostly captured from the bus
stop nearest to 29 Gowen, it took some time to find and construct all of it.
The footage was also grainy, making it difficult to pick out details.
Eventually, law enforcement received CCTV from multiple sources and locations, and was
(09:39):
thus able to establish a clear narrative of the killer's movements after the shooting.
Initially, police believed that someone had walked up behind Jill and had shot her at
point blank range with a silencer.
But now they know better.
Instead, the killer had been lying in wait.
He grabbed Jill from behind and forced her head nearly to the ground.
(10:03):
He then pressed the firearm directly against her skull right behind her left ear.
This is called a hard contact attack.
It served the dual purpose of both muffling the shot and killing her instantly.
The bullet passed directly through her brain.
Man X would have had a moment to verify that she was definitely dead before rising to his
(10:25):
feet.
Man X, who was unmasked, rose and calmly closed the gate at her residence.
Only then did he realize he'd been seen.
Apparently, that was also the moment he realized his getaway driver was nowhere in sight.
So he ran to the 220 bus stop.
(10:45):
Sweating, he boarded the bus.
There was no CCTV on the bus, but it looks like he got off two stops later at Fulham
Palace Road.
Cameras picked him up again at the Putney Bridge Tube Station, which was right next to
that stop.
Man X was on the phone as he entered the station.
He purchased a ticket and navigated the barriers.
(11:08):
Then Man X made an abrupt turnaround and exited the station, re-emerging through the exit
barrier.
Police believe he was on the phone with his wayward getaway driver.
Most people who get murdered are killed by people who know them.
The culprit is often a spouse and ex, or a lover of the victim.
(11:32):
This reason required the police to start looking at Jill's relationship history in
the hopes of finding the elusive man X.
Police interviewed her fiance, Alan Farthing.
They also interviewed Jill's ex-partner, Bob Wheaton, who was a BBC Breakfast News
editor.
They talked to Simon Basil, a South African game warden she had once dated, and her agent,
(11:57):
John Roseman, earned particular scrutiny because he'd once written a novel that included an
eerily similar scene.
Investigators went after every romantic fling she'd ever had and any person she'd ever
dated.
They even looked at a Russian crime lord who was allegedly besotted with Jill on the theory
(12:20):
he could have had her killed for rejecting his advances.
Every single man on the list had an alibi.
They even had to clear the Russian crime lord.
As wrongful convictions go, Barry George does not cut a particularly sympathetic figure.
(12:42):
Barry was the local weirdo.
He'd already been convicted of an attempted rape at one point.
He'd tried out a career as a stuntman, only to fail, and he often went around using various
pseudonyms so he could claim to be related to multiple rock stars like Queen's Freddie
Mercury.
Once, police found Barry hiding in the bushes at Kensington Palace.
(13:07):
He was wearing khaki, carrying a knife, and holding a length of rope.
Barry knew how to shoot.
He'd spent nearly a year in the territorial army before he was discharged in November
of 1982.
Several women had complained that he'd either bothered them or stalked them.
So when police searched his house and found no fewer than four copies of the Jildando
(13:33):
Memorial issue of the BBC in House Magazine called Ariel, they took a good close look
at Barry.
What they found was a microscopic particle in one of his pockets, one that could have
been a ballistic match for the murder weapon.
The particle and Barry's history were more than enough to put him away for eight years.
(13:56):
And during those years, Britain considered the Jildando case closed.
But Barry's sister didn't believe it was him, and neither did his lawyer, William Clegg.
For one thing, it seemed highly unlikely that Barry had the intelligence to pull off such
a clean one shot kill and get away.
(14:19):
Barry George has an IQ of 75, which places him in the lowest 5% of the population.
He's tested at the bottom 1% for memory and executive functioning tests.
But it wasn't doubts in Barry's ability or motives, which would unravel the entire case.
(14:39):
It turns out there was an issue with the alleged firearm particle found in his pocket.
In a 2008 retrial, Clegg was able to prove that this little fragment could have come
from literally any source.
And the prosecution was unable to establish if the particle had even come from a gun in
the first place.
(15:01):
Barry's conviction was overturned, and he immediately launched a wrongful imprisonment
case.
He lost that case, though he won several cases against newspapers for printing defamatory
information about him.
He now lives with his sister in Ireland.
These days, even the police don't seem to take Barry very seriously as a suspect.
(15:25):
Jill's brother Nigel is also an investigative journalist, though he retired in 2017.
He's heard all the other theories I'm about to go over, and he believes them all to be
fanciful.
Instead, Nigel believes that someone happened to see and recognize Jill that day, and took
(15:45):
their shot for what he called five minutes of notoriety.
Many investigators continue to favor an obsessive loner or obsessed fan theory, and these two
scenarios could also be in line with Nigel's beliefs.
Nigel has brought up the point that nobody could have known where and when Jill would
return to her home that day, because she was hardly ever there.
(16:08):
She was usually in Chiswick, and it's likely only a handful of people knew where she was
going.
I respect Nigel's desire to move on.
The endless quest for answers that don't ever seem to arrive must be exhausting, and
perhaps there is some comfort in putting it all aside and resolving it mentally as one
of the many random, senseless acts that happen around the world every day.
(16:32):
Nevertheless, there are a few problems with Nigel's opportunistic murder theory.
There's the matter of the getaway car.
Police have never told the public how they determined that a metallic blue Range Rover
was involved, or how they knew that it was the getaway car.
But it seems reasonable to assume they had some piece of evidence, video, or a witness
(16:56):
statement that told them a failed getaway driver did indeed exist.
An opportunist wouldn't have a car lined up.
And then there's the fact that the killer was lying in wait for Jill.
An obsessed fan could perhaps have been lurking outside of her house for days.
But it was hardly an isolated neighborhood.
(17:18):
If the killer had been around for very long, it seems like someone would have noticed him.
Also, he would have had to attend to everyday needs, like eating and sleeping.
If this opportunistic stalker had been waiting for days, he would have had to leave and return
to the property multiple times without being noticed.
(17:41):
Is the Range Rover a red herring?
Is Nigel correct?
Could Man X truly be some random individual who just wanted five minutes in the spotlight?
If so, why did the only attempt to take credit for the murders come from a Serbian claiming
it was a retaliation killing?
(18:03):
Anyone involved with true crime shows like mine fantasizes about somehow helping to solve
the crimes we cover.
However, for the BBC True Crime Show, Crime Watch, which ran from 1984 to 2017, the fantasy
was reality.
The show is credited with helping to solve some of Britain's most notorious crimes,
(18:26):
including the murder of James Bulger, the murder of Sarah Payne, and more.
It was natural for police to wonder if someone who Jill had helped put behind bars was behind
her murder.
Detectives investigated and ruled out 30 criminals whom Crime Watch had helped to put
away.
(18:47):
They even spoke to members of organized crime rackets and professional hitmen who might
have known of the crime.
But as far as I know, they couldn't tie a single Crime Watch suspect to the scene of
Jill's murder.
Many had an alibi by virtue of being in prison on the day the murder was committed.
(19:07):
However, it doesn't seem like investigators have ruled out the criminal revenge theory
entirely.
Does this theory make sense to you?
Is it possible investigators missed someone or something while working on this angle?
Do you suspect a friend or family member of a jailed suspect?
(19:32):
The phone call to the BBC that took credit for the murders brought the Serbian hitman
narrative into the mix early.
And a debate began to rage about whether the killer was a professional.
But here's why some investigators think the criminal was definitely not a professional
killer.
First, many of the hitmen the police interviewed expressed disdain for the killer's method.
(19:59):
They said they'd never trust a single bullet to kill a mark.
It seems that double tapping is more than a Hollywood concept.
It's the way most of the world's hitmen prefer to operate.
Of course, the manner of Jill's murder hardly required a double tap.
As mentioned, she died instantly and the killer would have had time to verify that fact.
(20:22):
Also, most professionals won't leave evidence like a shell casing at the crime scene.
And few professional killers would approach a victim in broad daylight, especially without
wearing gloves or a mask.
But just as investigators had decided to discard this theory of a professional killer, a new
(20:43):
break came in the case.
On April 22, 2024, a facial comparison expert named Emi Polito reviewed the CCTV evidence
and he gave police the name of an actual suspect.
It wasn't just a nameless theoretical Serbian hitman, but an actual Serbian, a man named
(21:04):
Ulamek.
He was the former commander of the Serbian State Security Unit for Special Operation.
Ulamek is serving jail time in Serbia right now.
Human rights groups say Ulamek worked with whole units of assassins.
During the Yugoslav wars, they were responsible for some of the worst atrocities, including
(21:24):
the murder of a Serbian journalist.
This journalist was an outspoken critic of the Yugoslavian president.
Similar to Jill's murder, the Serbian journalist was also shot in front of his home in central
Belgrade in broad daylight.
It happened on April 11, 1999, only 15 days before Jill's killing.
(21:45):
And there would have been plenty of time for these professional killers to travel from
Belgrade to Jill's home in London after that murder.
Are you convinced by the facial comparison and the similar method of the killings?
Do you think the Ulamek theory seems plausible?
Or will Ulamek become one more dead end in this baffling case?
(22:11):
Police can't pin the crime on Ulamek based on the facial comparison alone.
Remember, the CCTV pictures weren't entirely clear.
Polito is going on the similarity of features and his expertise, but the police did reach
out to Ulamek.
His lawyer rebuffed their questions, and Ulamek himself refused to weigh in.
(22:33):
One skeptical detective raised the point that most Serbian assassinations would have been
ordered by Arkhan, the notorious Serbian warlord.
And it just so happens that John Simpson, another BBC journalist, was meeting with Arkhan
for an interview on the same day of the other journalist's murder in Belgrade.
(22:56):
If Arkhan wanted to retaliate against a journalist, why didn't he kill John Simpson?
It's a fair question, but I can think of some answers.
One reason is because Jill had covered multiple Yugoslav war stories throughout the late 1990s,
and on April 6, 1999, she fronted a BBC crisis appeal.
(23:19):
It raised more than one million pounds in just 24 hours, and it was aid meant for refugees
fleeing the ethnic cleansings in the Balkans.
This was just 20 days before she was killed.
While grandfatherly John Simpson no doubt would have been mourned, I don't think killing
John at the interview would have had the same shock value.
(23:42):
While the brutal murder of a high-profile, beloved female household name like Jill,
made in front of her own house, was absolutely shocking.
If you're watching from the UK, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this theory.
Another reason for making Ulamak a valid suspect is because the assassination orders did not
necessarily have to come from Arkhan himself.
(24:06):
The fact that Ulamak ran teams could answer one of the significant questions about this
case.
How did the killer know Jill would be at the house?
Maybe he didn't have to.
Perhaps he had team members stationed at Farthing's home, at Jill's house, and at
places they were both known to frequent.
Maybe one of them caught sight of her doing her shopping, deduced she was on her way home,
(24:30):
and got into position.
The presence of a getaway driver, however inept, certainly lends support to the idea that an
entire kill team could have been operating that day.
Police are certainly taking Ulamak seriously as a suspect.
They've begun conducting a complete forensic examination of all the original CCTV footage,
(24:52):
as well as all the recovered finger and palm prints to see if they can get a match.
Perhaps they'll have some information to share with the public very soon.
Let's hope investigators are closer than ever to solving the tragic murder of Jill Dando.
I want you to know that listeners like you are the most important people to odd mystery
(25:17):
stories.
Thank you so much for listening to this story.
I hope you would please consider subscribing to my podcast.
If you know of a story that is unsolved, strange, odd, and of course mysterious, I invite you
to share the known details of that story with me.
You can either go to one of my social media accounts like Facebook or Twitter, or you
(25:41):
can simply email me at the following email address with no spaces, odd mysteries, the
number four, and the letter U at gmail.com.
Again, that email address is with no spaces, odd mysteries, the number four, and the letter
U at gmail.com.
I will do my very best to answer all messages, so don't hesitate to reach out to me.
(26:04):
In the next episode, I'll share the odd mysterious story of the Dumbler Wilson family murder.
It's a case that has haunted the residents of Mount Lookout, Ohio, since 1969.
The story of a strange, vicious murder of a young couple, and the grandmother of two
children left orphans in the aftermath.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this story.
(26:26):
If you did, please leave me a review.
Download and share this story with your friends.
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