John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer (pictured outside court in 2001) was found dead aged 64 in his back garden in South Weald, Essex on June 24. He was shot six times in the back
The partner of murdered crime boss John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer has claimed he was ‘stalked like an animal’ by a hitman who made a hole in his garden fence to be able to shoot him six times.
Palmer, 64, was notorious for his criminal dealings, getting his nickname after being acquitted of melting down gold in the £26million Brink’s-Mat raid near Heathrow Airport in 1983.
He was also linked to the Hatton Garden heist three years ago and was due to stand trial in Spain for alleged real estate fraud.
When he was found dead in his back garden in South Weald, Essex on June 24 2015 police and paramedics concluded he died of a pre-existing heart condition.
But he was later found to have six bullet wounds in his back and a coroner slammed Essex Police for their failings and concluded he was unlawfully killed.
The force are now revisiting the case and Palmer’s partner Christina Ketley is claiming he was killed by a stalker who managed to scratch a hole in the garden fence to carry out his murder.
She and her family are offering a £100,000 reward for any information that could track the killer down, which the police insists ‘is not in the proceeds of criminality’.
Palmer was once described as Britain’s richest criminal and thought to have been worth £300 million.
Essex Police has released crime scene photos of the hole in the 5ft (1.5m) tall fence panel in Palmer’s garden (pictured) believed to have been scratched with a nail or another sharp object
Pictured: Palmer’s partner Christina Ketley says he was hunted down by a stalker and shot in their back garden
Essex Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings added there is ‘no reason for us to believe that the money put up by members of John’s family is the proceeds of criminality’.
The force has also released crime scene photos of the hole in the 5ft (1.5m) tall fence panel in Palmer’s garden, believed to have been scratched with a nail or another sharp object, and of a bullet recovered from the scene.
Christina Ketley, Mr Palmer’s partner, said: ‘It haunts us every day to think that whoever was responsible was clearly watching John, stalking him like an animal before so brutally and callously ending his life.
‘Losing a loved one is hard enough but in this case we have the added stress of not only not knowing who did it but why.’
Mr Jennings said he believed it was a ‘professional contract killing’ which happened in the only part of the garden not covered by CCTV.
He said he believed the killer watched Palmer until he went to make a bonfire to burn some old documents, and then jumped over the fence.
The force has also issued pictures of one of five bullets found at the scene. The sixth was never found
Palmer’s partner Christina Ketley believes her husband was killed by a stalker who shot him after making a hole in their garden fence (pictured) and is offering a £100,000 reward
Palmer was last seen on CCTV at 5.18pm and his body was found by family members, who called the ambulance service at 5.30pm.
A ballistics expert concluded that the gun used was a 32 calibre silenced revolver, which has never been found, Mr Jennings said.
Ms Ketley is offering a £100,000 reward for any information that helps find and convict her former partner’s killer
He added that five of the six bullets had been found, but the sixth is outstanding despite extensive searches.
All bullets recovered were fired by the same weapon, he said.
Palmer was shot in the right elbow, right breast, right upper abdomen, top of the back, left renal area and left bicep – this latter bullet has not been recovered.
The ballistics expert concluded that Palmer could have been conscious, initially able to walk, talk, shout and possibly run a short distance until he lost consciousness from blood loss and died.
Mr Jennings said he believed Palmer may have seen his killer.
Palmer’s body was found 50ft-65ft (15m-20m) from where he was thought to have first been shot, Mr Jennings said.
There is more than a 50 per cent chance the killer was in the garden when all of the shots were fired, he added.
It is possible three of the bullets were fired into Palmer while he was standing and three while he was lying on the ground, with the gunman walking around him and firing.
Mr Jennings said Palmer, who gained his nickname after being acquitted of handling gold bullion in the £26 million Brink’s-Mat raid in 1983, had associated with some of the people convicted over the £14 million Hatton Garden raid in 2015 and had been due to stand trial in Spain over alleged real estate fraud.
Christina Ketley is pictured outside the Old Bailey in London in 2001 when she and Palmer were accused and convicted of timeshare fraud
‘My belief is the person responsible in arranging this is someone very high up in the criminal underworld and we would expect if finances were used to purchase this killing you’re talking about a large sum of money,’ he said.
He said he believes the key to solving the case lies within the criminal fraternity in the UK and possibly Spain, and also appealed to the gunman.
‘Gunmen can be hired as there’s a financial benefit, but they can also be hired on the basis of debts owed or threats,’ he said.
Roger Critchell, Crimestoppers Director of Operations, added: ‘We understand that people are not always willing to go to the police so we would urge them to contact Crimestoppers with 100 per cent anonymity through our phone line and our online form.’
Officers originally thought Palmer had died of natural causes because of recent keyhole surgery to his chest, but it later emerged he had been shot six times at close range.
Palmer, known was one of Britain’s richest criminals, is pictured with his ex-wife Marnie and their daughter Sarah in Tenerife
An inquest in 2016 heard there were ‘failings on behalf of Essex Police’ and concluded Palmer was unlawfully killed.
Detectives are continuing to appeal for information about a man and woman seen near Palmer’s home the day before the murder.
A man was also seen in Weald Country Park, next to Palmer’s home, at 5.50pm on the day he was shot.
He was white, in his early 20s, around 5ft 10in and of slim build, with short dark blond hair.
He was wearing light blue jeans and a light-coloured baggy sweat top.
Anyone who believes they have information about the murder of Palmer is asked to call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.