DOUBLE MURDER CASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1946, Page 7

DOUBLE MURDER CASE

CHARGE AGAINST FORMER R.A.F. PILOT

DEATHS OF TWO WOMEN

(Rec. 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, July 29. Neville George Clevely Heath, a 29-year-old former R.A.F. pilot, who was charged on July 22 with the murder of Mrs Margery Gardner, was charged to-day with the murder of Doreen Marshall, whose body was found on the cliffs at Bournemouth early this month.* In both cases die body of the victim was mutilated. Heath was arrested at Bournemouth after a police hunt which lasted for more than a fortnight, following the discovery of the body in the first case. Heath appeared today at the West London Police Court. The prosecutor, Mr A. A. Morgan, said that Mrs Gardner was found dead in bed in a London hotel. She had evidently been suffocated with a scarf and pillow, and had been the victim of a dreadful sadistic’assault. Her ankles had been tied and she had been slashed 17 times with a riding whip. The two cases would have to be heard separately, and he would deal with the Gardner case first.

Recognised by Driver Mr Morgan said that Heath and Mrs Gardner spent two hours on the night of June 20 at a Kensington club, and soon after midnight drove in a taxi to the hotel where Heath was staying. The taxi-driver, wheh he heard of Mrs Gardner’s murder, recognised Heath from photographs which the police had shown him. Heath, three hours before the body was discovered, travelled to Worthington and telephoned a girl named Yvonne Symmonds, with whom he had stayed one night on the previous week in the hotel room where Mrs Gardner’s body was found. He and Miss Symmonds stayed the night at a Worthington hotel. Later he was introduced to her family and his pledge of marriage was accepted, hie told Miss Symmonds that he was closely connected witl] the Gardner murder.

Went to Bournemouth Heath then went to Bournemouth, where he booked a room and deposited a suitcase, the contents of which included a blood-stained riding whip. When the girl Marshall was reported missing, Heath telephoned the police and told them he and Marshall had dined together on the night of July 7. After evidence had been given supporting Mr Morgan’s statement, Heath was remanded until August 6.