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OctavBotnar

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"Today Overbury Close in Northfield is a quiet cul de sac where families live side-by-side with elderly neighbours enjoying their twilight years, a picture of a harmonious community.
But 17 years ago, on a dark and wet December day, it was the scene of one of the most brutal murders in Birmingham.
Three members of the same family – Harry Smith, his wife Mary and their wheelchair-bound son Harold – had been bound, gagged, battered and stabbed to death in their own home."


http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/new...rchives-brutal-triple-murder-that-left-118704
 
For anyone who wants to read the story, just go to the bottom of the subscription form/survey and click "Skip the Survey." The story will pop right up.

But then a breakthrough emerged. Detectives revealed that they hoped to obtain permission to question a patient at a mental hospital who it was thought could shed light on the investigation.

Det Chief Insp Mick Slough, who had taken on the investigation by the end of 1993, said: “The patient we would like to speak to is outside the Birmingham area. There is also another person we want to interview. There is always the possibility that more than one person was involved in this crime.”

Mr Slough remained optimistic someone would be brought to justice, adding: “I’m confident of catching whoever is responsible.” The case was eventually wound down.

He later added: “We just never had the information from the public.”

So, do you have any idea if they were ever able to interview the mental patient outside Birmingham, or interview the other person of interest? I'm guessing if they actually did, their info. didn't pan out?

100 stab wounds via a 5" kitchen knife in a 72 y.o. man focused around the head and neck definitely sounds like somebody was having a good time. Not at all necessary to subdue him for a simple robbery even if he was fighting. I wonder how many were post-mortem. (?) The profile of a teen-25 y.o. would fit a spree killer scenario even though he/she/they didn't move beyond this one family.
 
I'm wondering if it was someone close to the family. This is a case of overkill with a little extra overkill for good measure.
 
That's just horrific and to not have any true suspects in all this time. One more place off my list to move.
 
Interesting theory - although i have never ever heard of a link between overkill and family members
Isnt overkill usually associated with family or someone close who knows the victim? That emotions are involved and even when they're dead, the perp is just unleashing on them still....
 
Isnt overkill usually associated with family or someone close who knows the victim? That emotions are involved and even when they're dead, the perp is just unleashing on them still....

I see your point . I mistakenly read it as family member rather than close to family.And therefore also stranger murders are rare.Apperently gay murders have more overkill than other types.It is worth noting ,it seems that overkill serial killers victims are usually strangers (i appreciate that this case is not specfically a serial killer dynamic)
 
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