Police baffled by killing

Press, 9 June 1982, Page 1

Police baffled by killing

Homicide detectives have not discounted the possibility that whoever killed Mr Alfred Anderson in his Waltham pensioner's flat last Friday night, slashing his throat and head, is mentally disturbed. “We will be looking at this aspect." said the officer in charge of the case. Detective Inspector R. G. McMeeking. yesterday. Mr Anderson, aged 62. was found dead in his bloodstained lounge by his son on Saturday morning, amid signs of a struggle. He had severe throat and head wounds inflicted by a knife or other sharp instrument, the police believe. The hunt for Mr Ander-

son's killer ended its fourth day .yesterday with no good lead for the squad of 15 detectives, and with robbery still thought the most likely motive. An empty wallet' was found on the' bedroom floor, but there was no sign that the flat had been ransacked or any other effort made to find money or valuables. The police have spent many hours in a fruitless search of vacant sections, gutters, section fronts, and street frontages in the area round Mr Anderson's Basting's Street flat for a murder weapon. The search, already extensive, would be widened, said Mr McMeeking.

A 24-hour police watch is still being kept on the block of pensioner flats, at the corner of Hastings Street and Waltham Road, among the inhabitants of which Mr Anderson was well known and liked. He was retired from work, and was known to neighbours as a friendly, but quiet, man who largely kept to himself. Although Mr Anderson lived less than 200 metres from the Waltham Arms Hotel, he was not a regular caller there, said a staff member, Mr Ray Hopkins. “He would drop in occasionally, maybe once or twice a week, but quite a few people recognised him when they saw his picture in the newspaper." said Mr Hopkins.

Extensive inquiries by detectives have not turned up

any enemies of Mr Anderson. The police admit that they have little to go on in the case, and have appealed for help from the public. The C. 1.8. is particularly anxious to hear from pedestrians or motorists, including patrons of the Waltham Arms, who were in the Waltham RoadHastings Street area about midnight last Friday. "They might have seen something which might appear insignificant to them, but may be of great help to us," said Mr McMeeking. Most murders were solved in the first 24 to 36 hours, but having no immediate clear suspect, and the particularly brutal nature of Mr Anderson’s murder, had possibly aroused more public interest than usual, said Mr McMeeking.

Mr Anderson’s son, Mr Neil Anderson, has also appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.