Do you know who killed Sally?

Sarah Annie Hill

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COLD-CASE detectives have launched a new hunt to find the killer of a frail 86-year-old Lees woman 28 years after she was battered to death.

Sarah Annie Hill, who was known as Sally, was only 4ft 10ins tall and was hit on the head, face and arms, fracturing her skull, as she sat reading her Oldham Chronicle newspaper on February 12, 1982.

Her house in Thomas Street, where she had spent all her life, was ransacked and her body was left in a pool of blood. At the time detectives called her killing ‘brutal.’ Because she was very deaf she would not have heard her killer approach, and died from serious head injuries.

The murder weapon was never found, and despite extensive police and house-to-house inquiries, and over 2,000 interviews and support from the regional crime squad, her killer remained free.

Now cold-case detectives from Greater Manchester Police have been systematically studying nine boxes of evidence from the 1980s, and are re-examining forensic samples, to see if any new leads are possible.

They are also appealing for anyone who has suspicions about the murder, or was reluctant to come forward in 1982, to get in touch.

The man leading the new hunt, Det Insp Mark Crowley, has good reason to hope they will catch her killer.

Born and bred in Oldham, he was a new recruit to the force in 1982, stationed in Oldham, and said: “I remember the revulsion among public and police officers because of the brutal and needless loss of life of a lady who should have been enjoying the remaining years of her life.

“She could not have put up much of a fight, she was only 4ft 10 inches and weighed seven and a half stone.”

Miss Hill was last seen alive at 5.30pm when she asked a neighbour to do an errand for her next day, he said. Another neighbour recalled seeing her kitchen and bedroom lights on at 11.30pm, which was not unusual as Miss Hill often stayed up late .

Mr Crowley added: “We believe at that time her kitchen door was also slightly ajar, and that time may be significant.

“Although she did stop up late she would never have her back door open.

“I believe that whoever has done this probab-ly would have local knowledge.

“There wouldn’t normally be a break-in at an address where the kitchen and living room lights were on.

“It had taken some time to gain entry to the house. A kitchen window was broken at the time of the attack and entry took more than a few minutes.

“Miss Hill had some bruises on her arms and her arms may have been protecting herself. Officers were amazed at the level of violence which was used.

“We can’t rule out that it was someone in their 20s or 30s at the time, it was certainly not someone in old age.”

Nothing appeared to be missing from the house, apart from a well-worn kitchen knife, which was not the murder weapon. But there were rumours at the time that Miss Hill had inherited money from her sister.

The detectives are looking for any new lines of inquiry and forensic investigations are ongoing, which could make use of new advances in DNA.

But Mr Crowley says his appeal is direct to people reading the Chronicle today:

“I believe there are people who will either know who killed Sarah, or have their suspicions.

“It may be that they were reluctant to come forward 28 years ago but now feel able to do so. It may be that someone has found out information since 1982 that could help our investigation. The murderer may have also confided in a relative or friend and I am appealing to those people to help us get justice for Sarah and her family.

“Although she never married, Miss Hill doted on local children and her nephews and nieces, and was very, very likeable”, he added:

“She was a highly respected member of the community and had dignity and independence.”