Police turn up the heat on 30

Release time：2024-05-21 14:06:18 Source：International Insights news portal

Police have issued a renewed appeal 30 years after an innocent woman was murdered on her doorstep in a case of mistaken identity by a man disguised as a delivery driver.

Karen Reed, 33, was shot five times at close range outside her home in Woking, Surrey on April 30, 1994.

Detectives have always believed the murder was a contract killing - and Karen, who had no involvement in criminal activity, was the wrong target.

A murder probe was launched and officers followed thousands of lines of enquiry which reached out into Essex, Hertfordshire and London.

But three decades on, Karen's killer remains at large.

Police have launched a fresh appeal into the case of Karen Reed, who was murdered outside her home in Woking, Surrey 30 years ago

Pictured: An artist's impression of Karen's killer who posed as a delivery driver. He was described as tall, dark-haired and wearing glasses

Two weeks before Karen's murder, officers pursued a car acting suspiciously and later discovered this automatic pistol with a silencer

Surrey Police say they are 'determined' to solve the cold case as a new appeal was issued ahead of the case's anniversary on Tuesday.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Hicks, the senior investigating officer in Karen's case, said: 'Even though 30 years have passed since the murder of Karen Reed, we remain determined to find those responsible for her death.

'Somebody out there knows who killed her - whether it's the individual who pulled the trigger, or those who were assigned to arrange this contract killing and we urge them to come forward so that justice is done for Karen and her family and friends.

'Karen was an innocent young woman who was loved by those who knew her.

'She had absolutely no involvement in criminal activity, and we have always believed that this murder was a case of mistaken identity and a contract killing which went wrong.'

Karen was at her home in Willow Way on The Barnsbury Estate around 9.15pm on Saturday, 30 April 1994 when she answered the door to the man she believed to be a pizza delivery driver.

The man, described as tall, dark-haired, wearing glasses and holding a blue and white pizza box, asked her to confirm the address, which she did before she was shot at close range five times.

An ambulance was called but Karen sadly died at the scene.

Police also found this large black handled commando knife in the red Vauxhall Cavalier

A large black Delsey Bag seized from the suspicious vehicle 

Officers also discovered this rare Olney blue tartan cap after searching the car

The murder probe followed 3,000 lines of enquiry and obtained 1,700 statements, but police were unable to identify the killer.

Just two weeks prior to Karen's murder, officers had pursued a car acting suspiciously in the Woking area.

The driver of the red Vauxhall Cavalier decamped the vehicle and ran off. On further inspection of the vehicle, officers found an automatic pistol fitted with a silencer as well as a marked map to The Barnsbury Estate.

They also found a large black handled commando knife in a black leather sheath, a black Delsey Bag plus a rare Olney blue tartan cap.

Investigating officers believe that this was the driver's first attempt at carrying out the assassination.

The murder, known as Operation Lilac, was featured on Crimewatch in March 2021 but still remains unsolved.

Surrey Police say they are still committed to cracking the case.

Det Chief Insp Hicks added: 'It's time for the people who now what happened to do the right thing and come forward to help us.'

Anyone with information should upload it to the force's Major Incident Public Portal online, call Surrey Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Related articles