BILLIE-JO Jenkins brutal execution connected the patio of her seaside location successful 1997 remains 1 of Britain's astir infamous unsolved cases.
Here we look astatine who she was and what happened to her.
Who was Billie-Jo Jenkins?
Billie-Jo Margaret Jenkins was a schoolgirl who was beaten to decease astatine her location successful Hastings, East Sussex, successful February 1997.
She was calved connected March 29, 1983, successful East London.
When she was 9 years old, her biologic begetter was imprisoned, and she was placed successful foster care.
Foster family
Billie-Jo moved successful with Siôn and Lois Jenkins — who coincidentally had the aforesaid past name.
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Siôn and Lois had 4 daughters of their own.
Billie-Jo spent 5 years with the household successful their location successful Hastings, connected the East Sussex coast, and was described arsenic "fun-loving", with dreams of becoming an actor.
On February 15, 1997, 13-year-old Billie-Jo was recovered successful the backmost plot of the household home, bludgeoned to decease with an robust structure peg.
Fateful afternoon
On that fateful day connected February 15, 1997, 13-year-old foster kid Billie-Jo was coating the patio doors astatine the backmost of the location erstwhile she was struck astatine slightest 5 times connected the caput successful a shocking attack.
She was reportedly unsocial astatine the time, with the remainder of her household retired of the property.
When foster dada Siôn returned to the location pursuing a travel to a DIY store with his 2 oldest daughters, helium recovered Billie-Jo dying, successful a excavation of blood.
Billie-Jo Jenkins detective reveals regret acold lawsuit was ne'er solved aft teen, 13, recovered successful backmost plot 24 years ago
Prime suspect
Police initially asked Siôn to marque a nationalist entreaty for immoderate information, but soon aft helium became the premier suspect.
He was arrested 9 days aboriginal connected suspicion of murder, and was charged with execution connected March 14, 1997.
Siôn — begetter to Annie, 12 astatine the clip of the murder, Lottie, 10, Esther, nine, and Maya, 7 — has ever maintained his innocence and claims a prowler could person been liable for the murder.
Blood spatter
During the investigation, constabulary discovered 148 tiny spots of Billie-Jo's humor connected Siôn's trousers and fleece jacket.
The prosecution argued that their size and organisation were accordant with "impact spatter", sprayed during the frenzied onslaught connected Billie-Jo.
But the defence argued that a good spray of humor was breathed retired by Billie-Jo connected her foster dada erstwhile helium went to her assistance arsenic she laic dying.
Siôn spent six years successful jailhouse pursuing his sentence.
Acquittal
In the 2 retrials following, the assemblage was incapable to scope a verdict.
Siôn was formally acquitted successful 2006.
Sussex Police person since maintained that determination are nary plans to reopen the execution investigation.
Murder connected the Patio: Who Killed Billie-Jo?
A documentary examining the unsolved lawsuit called Murder connected the Patio: Who Killed Billie-Jo? volition beryllium broadcast connected Channel 5.
It airs astatine 10pm connected Tuesday, October 29, 2024, and volition beryllium repeated an hr aboriginal connected Channel 5+1.
It delves into however and wherefore Billie-Jo's foster begetter Siôn was initially convicted of the murder, lone to beryllium acquitted pursuing a high-profile entreaty and 2 retrials astatine the Old Bailey.