In a significant development, Metropolitan Police are currently reviewing evidence from 223 boxes stored in deep police storage related to the longstanding Jill Dando murder case. This assessment aims to explore if the information could lead to a potential new line of inquiry, without launching a formal investigation at this stage.
Nigel, Jill’s brother, has highlighted the recurring appearance of new information over time, urging for a thorough examination of fresh leads. The investigation into Jill’s murder, which ranks as one of the largest homicide probes by the Met, involved meticulous scrutiny of each of the 223 evidence boxes, containing around 1,000 pages each.
The exhaustive inquiry, known as Operation Oxborough, faced immense pressure following the Macpherson report’s criticism of the police force as “institutionally racist” in the aftermath of Stephen Lawrence’s murder. Despite extensive efforts by the murder squad, including interviews with thousands of individuals and examination of numerous exhibits, the case remained perplexing.
Former Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens disclosed the overwhelming influx of daily correspondence during the investigation, which also involved exploring various leads and theories, including the debunking of a Serbian plot angle. Barry George’s arrest in 2000 led to a prolonged legal process, culminating in his eventual acquittal in a 2008 retrial after spending eight years wrongfully incarcerated.
The case oversight by Det Chief Insp Hamish Campbell, a highly respected figure within the force, continued until his retirement in 2013. Despite the inconclusive outcome, Campbell remained steadfast in his belief regarding the case’s primary suspect. Subsequent reviews and forensic examinations have been conducted on the investigation, which was officially placed on inactive status in 2014.
Barry Webb, a former Met Det Chief Supt, praised Campbell’s thorough and unbiased approach to the case, emphasizing the exploration of all potential scenarios. The ongoing reevaluation of the evidence signifies the persistent efforts to unravel the mysteries surrounding Jill Dando’s tragic murder.