Anxious , Stressed , & True Crime Obsessed .

The Murder Of Jill Dando .

Jill Wendy Dando was born at Ashcombe House Maternity Home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. She was the daughter of Jack Dando and Winifred Mary Jean Hockey.

Dando was educated at Worle Infant School, Greenwood Junior School, Worle Comprehensive School, and Broadoak Sixth Form Centre. She studied journalism at the South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education in Cardiff.

Dando's first job was as a trainee reporter for the local weekly newspaper, The Weston Mercury, where both her brother and father worked. After five years a print journalist she began working for BBC. Dando presented several BBC television programs such as Breakfast Time, Breakfast News, The BBC O'Clock News, The Six O'Clock News, the travel program Holiday, and the crime appeal series Crimewatch. At the time of her death, Dando was among one of those with the highest profile of BBC's onscreen staff, and had even been nominated the 1997 BBC Personality of the Year.

From 1989 to 1996 Dando dated the BBC executive Bob Wheaton. In December 1997, she met Alan Farthing on a blind date. The couple announced that they were engaged on January 31, 1999. Their wedding was set to take place on September 25th.

On the morning of April 26, 1999, 37-year-old Dando left Farthing's home in Chiswick. She returned alone to the home she owned in Fulham. As Dando approached her front door at about 11:32, she was shot in the head. Her body was discovered about fourteen minutes later by her neighbor Helen Doble. Police were called at 11:47. Dando was taken to the nearby Charing Cross Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

After the murder there was intense media coverage. An investigation by the Metropolitan Police, proved unsuccessful for over a year. As Dando was widely known as a public figure by millions, there was huge speculation as to the motive for her murder.

Within six months, the Murder Investigation Team had spoken to more than 2,500 people and had taken more than 1,000 statements. With little progress after a year, police zeroed in on Barry George, who lived about half a mile from Dando's home. George had a history of stalking women, sexual offenses, and other attention seeking behaviors. George was put on surveillance and arrested on May 25, 2000 and was charged with Dando's murder on May 28th.

Barry George was tried and convicted on July 2nd, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Concern about this conviction was widespread, as the evidence against George was very minimal. After discredited forensic evidence was excluded from the prosecution's case, George's appeal succeeded in November 2007. The original conviction was thrown out, and a second trial lasting eight weeks ended in Barry's acquittal on August 1st, 2008.

In 2012, the Serbian 'war lord' Arkan was named as a suspect in the case, although he had died in 2000. After that, no other suspects had been named or charged with Dando's murder, and the case remains unsolved.

THEORIES ON WHO KILLED JILL DANDO :

A JEALOUS EX LOVER KILLED DANDO:
This theory was quickly ruled out as detectives interviewed Dando's friends and acquaintances and none of them could ever place Dando as having a " crazy or jealous ex lover".

AN ASSASSIN WAS HIRED TO KILL DANDO :
A major belief was that an assassin was hired to kill Dando as revenge for them being convicted off evidence garnered by Crimewatch viewers. This was later ruled out by detectives.

A DERANGED FAN KILLED DANDO:
Seeing as Dando was a widely recognized personality this theory was highly regarded. Dando's brother Nigel informed detectives that Dando had become concerned with some guy that was "pestering her" in the few days before her death.

A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY:
This theory was judged highly unlikely as Dando was killed on the front doorstep of her own home.

What do you guys think happened to Jill Dando ?