A KEY clue within the unsolved homicide of a pregnant mum who had her throat slashed after her automotive broke down has been revealed.
Marie Wilks, 22, was driving alongside the M50 in Herefordshire on her method again from visiting husband Adrian at a barracks on June 18, 1988.
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She was seven months pregnant on the time and along with her 11-year-old sister Georgia and 13-month-old son Mark when her automotive broke down on the motorway.
A nervous Marie, who had solely not too long ago handed her take a look at, was pressured to go away the automotive and discover an emergency phone to name for assist.
However she by no means returned to the automotive.
As an alternative she was later discovered with throat slashed on an embankment three miles away.
Former soldier Eddie Browning was jailed for her homicide the next yr.
However the conviction was overturned five-and-a-half years later when a choose discovered police had saved proof from the trial.
However a key clue in Marie’s homicide have been tyre marks discovered on the scene.
An knowledgeable gave proof at trial {that a} skid mark discovered near the place Marie’s physique was found matched a wheel on Browning’s automotive – a silver-grey Renault 25s.
The knowledgeable mentioned he was sure the mark had been made by Browning’s entrance nearside wheel because it had been left closely worn and with out tread.
The previous soldier died in Could 2018.
The unsolved homicide
Browning’s loss of life got here almost 20 years after the invention of Marie’s physique on the aspect of the M50.
She had been making a return journey from a Territorial Military camp within the village of Symonds Yat
The journey was her first vital drive since passing her take a look at, however she turned misplaced upon her return dwelling to Wandon.
Because of her inexperience on the roads, Marie was reluctant to make use of motorways and most popular sticking to nation roads.
However she was left with no selection after turning into confused on the nation roads and needed to take a route she knew would get her dwelling.
It was early within the night when her automotive broke down and she or he pulled into the onerous shoulder along with her youthful sister and child son.
She informed them each to stay within the automotive whereas she walked alongside the motorway to the closest emergency cellphone.
Upon lastly discovering one as gentle began to fade, Marie contacted to police and defined she was closely pregnant and was within the firm of two youngsters.
Police tried to contact her household, however the one different automotive they owned was being utilized by her dad, who was away on a fishing journey.
When the 999 operator returned to the road, Marie failed to reply.
All that could possibly be heard was the sound of vehicles dashing previous.
At across the similar time, an officer driving alongside the M50 on patrol noticed the haunting sight of an 11-year-old lady, Marie’s youthful sister, carrying her child alongside the onerous shoulder in seek for her.
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A short while later, police discovered an deserted automotive.
Officers then made the chilling discovery of a the emergency cellphone utilized by Marie hanging from its wire.
The next morning, a big search was launched for Marie, with blood discovered splattered across the cellphone field.
The search went on for twenty-four hours earlier than her physique was lastly found mendacity on an embankment three miles from the place her automotive broke down.
A homicide probe was subsequently opened, with police later releasing an e-fit of a suspect based mostly on an account supplied by a witness who claimed to have seen a person strolling down the onerous shoulder close to the time of Marie’s loss of life.
Browning, then 32, was arrested following a tip-off from a colleague who labored with the ex-soldier at a nightclub in South Wales.
He was unknown to Marie.
Browning had been travelling north to Scotland on the evening, doubtlessly inserting him on the identical stretch of the M50 as Marie.
He claimed throughout trial to have taken a unique route, however his automotive was not noticed by any digicam on every other highway.
On the day of Marie’s homicide, Browning had a disagreement along with his personal pregnant spouse.
He was alleged to have taken his rage out on a random, solitary lady when the possibility arose.
Browning was convicted of homicide in 2989 and jailed for all times with a minimal time period of 25 years.
However the conviction was quashed five-and-a-half years into his sentence.
Judges discovered the conviction was unsafe as a result of police had saved again proof from the trial.
An off-duty police officer had claimed to have seen a suspicious car – the identical make as Browning’s – on the scene of the crime, however it was later revealed that the quantity plates did not match Browning’s.
Consequently, the conviction was overturned.
