Walter Reed

Walter Reed was found dead in an airing cupboard at a flat in Manorgate Road in Kingston on 15 October 1986.

His flatmate and lover was traced to Southern Ireland shortly after where he was believed to have killed himself, after which the police said they were calling off the murder investigation.

Walter Reed was from South Africa and had been a homosexual.

He was found in the airing cupboard at his lover's flat after having been stabbed to death with a knife.

At Walter Reed's inquest, it was heard that the drug LSD or the fear that Walter Reed might have had AIDS might have been behind the killing.

Walter Reed had been sharing what was described as a tiny flat with his Irish-born lover.

Walter Reed had been stabbed several times and an attempt to cut off his arm at the elbow had been made. His lover killed himself at his parents’ house in Ireland five days later by swallowing pills. Following his death the police said they were closing the file on the case.

Walter Reed had been a dispatch rider and had arrived in the UK with his lover, a hairdresser, in June 1986 after having lived together for two years in Rhodesia.

A friend of the couple said that Walter Reed had been 'fed-up' with his lover as he had been worried about AIDS, noting that Walter Reed went for a test screening, the result of which was negative, but that that only came out after both men had died.

It was also heard at the inquest that Walter Reed had told one friend that they were thinking of taking LSD, however, another friend said that Walter Reed had not been into drugs.

The police said they searched the flat but found no trace of drugs.

A neighbour said they heard the sound of a disturbance coming from the flat on the night of 3 October 1986 between 9.30pm and 10pm.

The following day Walter Reed's lover went to hospital with deep wounds to both hands which required stitching, and told them that he had sustained the injuries when a mirror that he had been taking down from the wall slipped. He then stayed in hospital until 7 October 1986 after which he took a flight home to Ireland from Heathrow, leaving with only the clothes he was standing in.

He later died in his sleep on 10 October 1986.

The police checked with local priests to see whether he had said anything before he died, but without luck.

The police were later called to the flat in Manorgate Road on15 October 1986 after neighbours detected a strong smell and they found Walter Reed's decomposing body in the cupboard in a hallway. The police were only able to identify his body by his fingerprints which were compared to fingerprints on his personal possessions.

A knife was then found under the bed. Walter Reed had been stabbed several times, with one wound through his chest proving fatal.

At his inquest, the Coroner said that he was not required to inquire as to who inflicted his stab wounds. However, he added:

The Coroner then recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.