Larry Burt

Larry Burt was found strangled on 26 February 1994 near Tower Bridge, London.

He was a homosexual and enjoyed art and painting. He had lived in Ramsgate in Kent and would visit London every couple of months.

It was thought that he had been strangled as he drew or painted landscape scenes on wasteland in Wapping, East London.

It was thought that the motive had been robbery as quite a few of his belongings had disappeared.

He was a quality assurance controller and used to test products before they were sent out to customers. He was also a branch officer for the Red Cross and led courses in first aid twice a year.

He had lost his parents during the Second World War during an air raid.

He was said to have been a remarkable artist and enjoyed drawing and would often turn his drawings into cards for his friends.

On Saturday 26 February 1994 he got the 9.52am train from Dumpton Park for Victoria, London. It wasn't known where in London Larry Burt had meant to visit although it was noted that he had clearly intended to return that same day, as he bought a same-day return ticket.

The guard on the train that sold Larry Burt his ticket said that he noticed that about twenty minutes after selling him the ticket that he saw Larry Burt sitting opposite a girl. The guard said that although he didn't see them talking, he thought that from their behaviour that he had interrupted something when he approached them. He added that he noticed that the girl had a five day return from London to Whitstable. It was noted that Larry Burt had been the sort of person that would start a conversation with a stranger and the police asked the girl to come forward, saying that if Larry Burt had mentioned his plans for the day to her then it would have been important.

However, once Larry Burt got to Victoria it was not known what he did, although it was thought that he probably then cycled out to the East End. It was noted that in the past he had talked of visiting St Catherine’s dock as another one of his interests was boats and chandlery.

It was thought that he had cycled around Wapping during the afternoon and that he might have visited the Town of Ramsgate pub in Wapping High Street which it was thought he had done in the past.

He had had a pair of binoculars with him at the time and enjoyed bird watching and was noted for being an accomplished photographer. The pub was by the River Thames and it was thought that he might have sat out in the pub garden looking over the river with his sketch pad and binoculars.

His body was found the following day at 5pm 27 February 1994 at the rear of a warehouse overlooking the River Thames known as the Old Pump House. It was thought that he had been murdered in the yard there the day before.

He had been strangled with a blue scarf that had been left behind at the scene and it was noted that the scarf had not belonged to Larry Burt. It was further thought that the scarf would have belonged to the person that had strangled Larry Burt. The scarf was noted as being well worn indicating that the person might have owned it for some time.

It was also noted that Larry Burt's bicycle was also missing when his body was found, and the police said that they were interested in hearing from anyone who knew anyone that had come home without their blue scarf and with a new bicycle. The bicycle was a metallic-blue Mann's Abbey racer/tourer style bicycle that Larry Burt had modified since he had got it, with chrome mudguards, a white seat, blue taped handle-bars, a back pannier and had single reflectors on each wheel.

Other items that were found to be missing were his pair of adjustable Swallow 8x21 binoculars, a 35mm automatic compact camera with built in zoom lens, as well as his personal belongings and his wallet with identity cards. It was also noted that his black rucksack that had possibly contained sketching materials in it was also missing.