Who was Billie-Jo Jenkins and what happened to her? Murder on the Patio story explained

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.

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.

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.