Michael Dowdall

Overview

Michael Douglas Dowdall was convicted of killing Veronica Murray and was sentenced to life imprisonment on January 22, 1960. He was released on licence in July 1975 while suffering from a serious illness and died in November 1976.

The offence

On Christmas Eve 1958, the body of 31-year-old prostitute Veronica Murray was found in her room in Charteris Road, Kilburn. She was naked apart from a pullover pulled over her head and had been dead for five or six days. She had been battered to death with a six-pound dumbbell that lay on the floor by her bed. There were strange circular marks on her abdomen and thighs. Fingerprints were found that might have come from her killer.

During the next year, there were several cases of assaults on women where their bodies showed the strange circular marks, and none of the attacks had resulted in a fatality.

Background

Dowdall was described as a problem and was described, by his CO, as "a bit odd." He had a history of heavy drinking and going AWOL. He was posted as AWOL on the night of Veronica Murray's murder. He had enlisted in the Guards as a drummer boy. He had been born on 12th December 1940, and his father had been killed three years later.

The defence pleaded diminished responsibility, producing psychiatrists who variously described Dowdall as "a psychopath", "a social misfit" and "a sexual pervert."

Investigation

Fingerprints were found at the scene that might have come from her killer. During the next year, burglaries in West London took place, and the fingerprints matched those previously found.

In connection with these incidents, it was noted that Dowdall owned a cigarette lighter with the name 'Texas Gulf Sulphur Co.'. A picture of a similar lighter was published in the press. A guardsman at the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, stationed at Pirbright in Surrey, told his CO that another guardsman, 'Mick', owned a lighter like it.

The instrument that caused the strange, circular marks was never identified.

Arrest

On 10th October 1959, Mrs Hill was out celebrating her birthday and invited back to her Fulham flat a young man that she had met in the West End. When she refused his advances he hit her, tore off her clothes and strangled her into unconsciousness, but she survived.

Fingerprints he had left again matched those on police files. Mrs Hill was able to give a clear description of young 'Mick', a heavy drinking chain-smoker.

On 24th November 1959, Dowdall was interviewed by police who took his fingerprints. The fingerprints matched those in the Murray file. Dowdall was taken back to Chelsea police station where he confessed to the killing, assaults and a string of burglaries.

Trial

On 3rd December, nine days before his nineteenth birthday, he was charged with the murder of Veronica Murray.

Dowdall's trial began at the Old Bailey on 20th January 1960 and lasted two days. The defence pleaded diminished responsibility. The jury, after requesting direction from the judge on 'impaired responsibility' found Dowdall guilty of manslaughter.

Sentencing

Dowdall was sentenced to life imprisonment on January 22, 1960.

Outcome

He was released on licence in July 1975 suffering from a serious illness from which he died in November 1976. He was thirty-six years old.

Other details

• Dowdall confessed to the killing, assaults and a string of burglaries.