The region’s police and crime commissioner stressed the importance of preventing murders and serious assaults – as homicide detectives closed the book on an exceptionally busy year.
Officers have been involved in investigating seven alleged murders in Oxfordshire this year, twice the number in 2021.
They include the fatal stabbing of Keith Green, murdered by love rival Mark Meadows and his half-brother Travis Gorton on the eve of Valentine’s Day.
And officers continue to investigate the death of Conrad Welch, 63, who died a week after being knocked down in Ship Street, Oxford, in June 2021. Another alleged murder from that year – the fatal stabbing of Leonid Laboshin in Botley last October – is due to be tried early next year.
In May, Oxford man Lewis Brown was locked up for 10-and-a-half years for stabbing Lee Butler to death in an argument over the quality of the drugs Brown's 'BOB' line was selling. He had been charged with murder but was found guilty of manslaughter.
Speaking to the Oxford Mail last week, Thames Valley’s police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber said the force as doing ‘incredibly well’ at managing homicide investigations, with detectives enjoying a ‘really good track record of bringing people to justice after these horrific incidents’.
“Much more important is trying to prevent them in the first place,” he added.
“I want to push the force to a position of being much more preventative in all sorts of crime types.
“It can be particularly challenging in murder. Many of these things go on behind closed doors and [those responsible] don’t necessarily have a history with policing or public bodies.”
He claimed that domestic homicide rates – where the victim might be in a relationship with or related to their killer – had fallen in the region in recent years. He said the force took domestic abuse ‘incredibly seriously’, recognising that perhaps lower-level assaults ‘could be a precursor event to homicide’.
Turning to deaths and serious assaults linked to drugs, gang violence and knife crime, Mr Barber cited launch of Operation Deter in Milton Keynes and Berkshire.
The operation has seen police take a harder line on those carrying knives by getting them in front of the courts quicker – as well as doing more ‘early intervention’ work with young people.
The ‘murders’ in 2022
Keith Green
Mr Green was stabbed to death in February in the garden of the home he shared in Howard Road, Banbury, by his partner’s younger lover, Mark Meadows, and Meadows’ half-brother Travis Gorton.
Meadows and Gorton were found guilty of murder earlier this month. Mr Green’s partner, Louise Grieve, was convicted of manslaughter – together with a teenage girl who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Peter Crowley
The 50-year-old was found dead in his flat in Barton, Oxford, on April 24. He was said to have been attacked the night before outside the shops in nearby Underhill Circus.
A two teenagers were initially arrested on suspicion of his murder, but were told in the autumn that no further action was being taken against them.
In October, detectives said that post-mortem tests had been unable to link Mr Crowley's death to the assault on April 23.
Det Insp Mike Roddy said: “Our investigation into this tragic incident has been ongoing for several months, and continues, but we are now able to confirm that we are not treating Mr Crowley’s death as a murder investigation."
Katie Hurmuz-Irimia
Mrs Hurmuz-Irimia, 40, was allegedly fatally stabbed by her husband, 29-year-old Mihai, at their home in Blue Mountains, Wallingford, on August 30.
His trial will start on February 20 next year.
Barrie Davenport
Police were called to an assisted living facility in School Lane, Banbury, on October 17 following reports that Barrie Davenport, 88, had died.
A 53-year-old woman from Northamptonshire was arrested on suspicion of murder in the wake of his death. She was subsequently released on bail.
An inquest heard that the cause of Mr Davenport’s death remained under investigation, pending further forensic tests.
Alex Innes
Police were called to Walton Street, Jericho, in the early hours of Sunday, November 13.
Electrician Alex Innes, 25, had been stabbed and died at the scene. In a tribute, his family said: "There will be a huge hole in all of our hearts forever, but we will always continue to share memories of you."
So far, four people have been charged with his murder. They are expected to stand trial in May next year.
Phil Breach
‘One in a billion’ Phil Breach, 59, was found in a critical condition in a park between Nuffield Road and Wood Farm Road, in Oxford estate Wood Farm, at around 6am on November 30.
He was taken to hospital but died later that day from his injuries, which included significant wounds to his head and neck.
A 43-year-old man, Liam Jones, will stand trial for his murder in April.
Danielle Maslin
Mrs Maslin, a 50-year-old nail technician, died at her home in Windrush Place, Northmoor, on December 12.
Villagers in the small community west of Cumnor described seeing an emergency service presence outside the house for several days afterwards.
It was only four days after Mrs Maslin’s death that Thames Valley Police confirmed officers had arrested – and subsequently bailed – a man on suspicion of murder.
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