Bloody fingernails of murdered widow, 86, help convict killer 12 years after she was stabbed and set on fire at home

13 February 2025, 22:22

A woman's bloody fingernails provided a clue that helped catch the man who murdered her, 12 years on.

Una Crown, 86, was stabbed to death by David Newton and set on fire to hide her injuries at her home in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, in 2013.

The widower, who lived alone, had also been robbed of her wedding ring and £40. Her husband had died years earlier.

She was discovered lying in a pool of her own blood at home by her relatives.

Police initially thought she had died from a heart attack when she tried to put out a fire at home. They thought the marks around her neck came from a scarf she was wearing.

A postmortem found she had been stabbed, leading to a murder investigation being launched.

Newton, 70, was seen by a local drunkenly walking from near Mrs Crown’s home at about 8.30pm the evening of her death.

He denied any involvement in her murder when quizzed by police, claiming he knew Mrs Crown a little and had once fixed her back door.

But DNA evidence from her fingernails linked Newton to the scene of the crime, and he was charged in 2023.

On Thursday, he was found guilty of Ms Crown's murder.

The Cambridgeshire police officers who initially investigated the murder were criticised by the force's own professional standards department for making "flawed decisions" during the probe.

Ms Crown's family also criticised the police's efforts in 2013.

Detective Superintendent Iain Moor, senior investigating officer, said: “Today we have finally secured justice for Una and her family, 12 years after her death.

“Mistakes were made during the initial investigation in 2013, for which we have apologised to Una’s family.

“Once again, we acknowledge those errors and apologise it has taken this long for Una’s family to get justice. However, my aim as the senior investigating officer when I took on this role in the past few years was to make sure they didn't wait any longer.

“Vital evidence was retained from the 2013 crime scene which gave the crucial evidence breakthrough using a DNA testing technique not available in 2013.

“For more than a decade David Newton thought he had gotten away with this most horrendous crime, but today’s result shows you cannot hide forever.

“I would like to commend the 2013 team and current investigation team for their painstaking work. We have been supported by incredible experts, witnesses and specialists who have helped us discover who was responsible.”

Paying tribute to Ms Crown, her family said: "In 2013 we heard our Auntie Una had passed away. Two days later we heard it was murder and our world’s stopped.

"An elderly widow watching her favourite TV programme, feeling warm and safe in her own home. The attack was brutal, horrific and an assault on a defenceless frail elderly widow.

"The verdict today has prevented him causing further distress and misery to others. Since her untimely and savage death, three close family relatives, including her brother, have sadly passed away not knowing her killer has been brought to justice.

“We’d like to thank all who have helped get us to this point today and we can now carry on with our lives knowing justice has been done.”