A detective investigating the killing of a notorious mobster by a hitman has said that the key to solving the murder five years on lies within the criminal underworld.
John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer, 64, was shot six times at close range in the garden of his remote mansion in South Weald, Essex, on June 24, 2015.
The gangster, once described as Britain’s richest criminal, was linked to some of the people convicted over the £14million Hatton Garden raid of 2015.
Police had originally thought Palmer, thought to have been worth £300million, had died of natural causes because of recent keyhole surgery to his chest.
But he was later found to have six bullet wounds in his back, with a coroner slamming Essex Police for their failings and concluding Palmer was unlawfully killed.
John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer (pictured 2001), 64, was shot six times at close range in the garden of his remote £2million mansion in South Weald, Essex, on June 24, 2015
CCTV captured Palmer in the garden of his Essex mansion, in 2015, shortly before his death
Officers have now renewed their appeal for information, with a senior investigating detective suggesting that the answer to the killing ‘lies within the underworld’.
Det Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘Five years is a long time for John’s family to be left without answers and without anyone facing justice for his cold-blooded murder.
‘In the years since his death a lot has changed, particularly within the underworld.
Palmer is thought to have once been worth £300million (pictured, 2001)
He continued: ‘There has always been speculation and rumour within the media and underworld about Mr Palmer’s connection to organised criminals; specific high profile crimes; that he was a police informant; and that charges brought against him in Spain were about to be dropped.
‘Over the years a number of these rumours have been found to be untrue or based wholly in speculation.
‘Regardless of Mr Palmer’s past the reality is that he was much-loved by his family and he was murdered in a calculated, callous killing within the grounds of his own home.
‘It is impossible to imagine how his family must feel, without justice and answers, and we continue to do all we can to bring his killer to come forward.
‘We know that the key to solving Mr Palmer’s murder lies within the underworld. Loyalties do change and people may now feel able to come forward.’
Essex Police previously released crime scene photos of the hole in the 5ft-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.
Det Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said that the answer to Palmer’s killing ‘lies within the underworld’
Palmer’s partner Christina Ketley (left) said she believes Palmer was ‘stalked like an animal’ by a hitman, who is thought to have scratched a spyhole in his garden fence
Palmer is thought to have been taken out by a contract killer who had drilled a tiny hole into the fence to spy on his target before jumping over and shooting him in his garden (pictured)
His partner Christina Ketley previously said that she believes Palmer was ‘stalked like an animal’ by a suspected hitman, who is thought to have scratched a spyhole in his garden fence before leaping over and shooting him.
In the weeks before Palmer’s death, he was one of a number of people charged over real estate fraud in Tenerife. There was speculation that Palmer was seeking a deal with prosecutors to have charges dropped.
An inquest in 2016 heard there were ‘failings on behalf of Essex Police’ and concluded that Palmer was unlawfully killed.
The murder happened in the only part of Palmer’s garden not covered by CCTV.
Palmer married Marnie Ryan (left) in 1975 in Bristol (pictured after his acquittal of involvement in the 1983 Brink’s-Mat bullion robbery, despite admitting he had melted down gold)
Police of a spyhole in Palmer’s garden fence, believed to have been scratched by a hitman
Police handout of a bullet recovered from the scene of the fatal shooting of Palmer, murdered by a suspected hitman who is believed to have scratched a spyhole in his garden fence
Essex Police said detectives have gathered intelligence in the UK and abroad, taken hundreds of witness statements, traced vehicles, examined more than 1,400 documents and pursued more than 700 lines of inquiry.
However, Palmer’s killer remains at large.
Police believe the suspected hitman watched Palmer until he went to make a bonfire to burn some old documents, then jumped over the fence.
Palmer gained his nickname ‘Goldfinger’ after being acquitted of handling gold bullion from the £26million Brink’s-Mat raid in 1983.
If you have information about the murder of John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer call Essex Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.