24 Hours in Police Custody: Channel 4 documentary to shine light on investigation into murder of Wisbech pensioner Una Crown that went unsolved for 12 years

The popular series will shine a light on the probe into the death of 86-year-old Una Crown, who was killed in her home in Magazine Lane, Wisbech, on Sunday, 13 January, 2013.

She had been stabbed to death, and her body set alight.

The murder went unsolved for more than 12 years, until in February last year, David Newton – a man who lived just a stone’s throw away on the same street as Una – was found guilty of her murder.

Cambridgeshire Police said that detectives were able to bring Newton to justice after using new, state of the art forensic techniques to find his DNA on Mrs Crown’s fingernails.

Police said they were called after family members and a neighbour discovered the widow’s body in her bungalow in Magazine Lane, Wisbech, on Sunday, 13 January, 2013.

She had been seen alive two days previous and had spoken to a friend over the phone at about 5pm the day before her body was discovered.

The death was initially treated as unexplained but, after a post-mortem examination concluded Mrs Crown had died from stab wounds to her neck and chest, a murder investigation was launched.

Her clothing had also been set alight by Newton in a failed bid to disguise her injuries and destroy evidence, but the fire did not spread to the rest of the house.

Newton, of Magazine Close, Wisbech, was seen by a nearby resident drunkenly walking from the direction of Mrs Crown’s home at about 8.30pm that evening.

He was interviewed at the time but denied any involvement in her murder. He claimed he knew Mrs Crown to say hello to in passing, and once fixed a back door lock for her in April or May 2012 - but had not seen her or been back in her bungalow since that day.

Newton, 70, was not charged until 2023, when new forensic testing revealed male DNA, found to be 28,000 more likely to have originated from Newton (or a close male relative from his paternal line) than any other person.

Investigations by police revealed it was not possible for Newton’s other close male relatives to have carried out the murder.

Jurors heard the DNA found on Mrs Crown’s fingernails would not have been there for longer than 48 hours and due to her general cleanliness, was likely deposited at the time of the murder.

When confronted with the new DNA evidence in interview in April 2024, Newton answered no comment to all questions asked by police.

He was found guilty of Una’s murder following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court, and given a life sentence, to serve a minimum of 21 years behind bars.

24 Hours in Police Custody: The Cold Case Murder will be broadcast at 9pm on Monday, April 13 on Channel 4.