For nearly three decades, the brutal murder of 16-year-old Lynne Weedon remained an isolated cold case — a senseless attack on a promising teenager walking home through a quiet London neighborhood. Then, in 2006, advances in forensic science revealed something extraordinary. The DNA evidence from Lynne’s murder matched DNA from another unsolved killing: the murder of Eve Stratford, a 22-year-old Playboy Bunny who had been found dead in her east London flat six months earlier.
The discovery meant that the same unidentified killer had stalked and murdered two young women on opposite sides of London in 1975. More than 50 years later, both murders remain unsolved. This is the story of two victims, a decades-old DNA breakthrough, and the lingering mystery that continues to haunt investigators and families alike.
Who Was Lynne Weedon?
Lynne Weedon was a bright and popular 16-year-old with a promising future ahead of her. Described by friends as “the cleverest in our year” and a “girl who shone,” she had just celebrated her O-level results with school friends at a nearby pub on the evening of September 3, 1975. The route home through Hounslow in west London was one she knew well — she lived right next to her school, Lampton School.
But that night, she never made it.
Lynne was walking home through The Short Hedges, a secluded alleyway near her home, when she was apparently followed from the Great West Road. There, she was struck with a heavy, blunt object, thrown over a fence surrounding an electrical substation, and raped. Her attacker then left her for dead.
She was found barely alive the following morning by a school caretaker and rushed to West Middlesex Hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Lynne never regained consciousness. She died a week later on September 10, 1975. The cause of death was a single blow to the head from a heavy, blunt weapon that was never recovered.
Lynne had dreamed of studying A-Levels and working as a translator for the European Parliament. Her friends remember her as a talented and humble girl who was good at sport and languages. “She shone,” one friend recalled.
The Murder of Eve Stratford
Six months before Lynne’s murder, on March 18, 1975, 22-year-old Eve Stratford was last seen walking home through the snow to the apartment she shared with her musician boyfriend on Lyndhurst Drive in Leyton, east London.
Eve was a model and worked as a waitress — a “bunny girl” — at the prestigious Playboy Club on Park Lane in central London. She had joined the club in 1973 and had appeared as “Girl of the Month” on the cover of Mayfair magazine shortly before her death. Police later believed the cover may have drawn her killer’s attention.
On the afternoon of her murder, Eve was returning from a meeting with her agent. At about 4:30 p.m., neighbors heard a man and woman speaking calmly inside her flat. Then they heard a loud thud. Eve’s boyfriend returned less than an hour later and found her dead in the bedroom. Her hands had been tied with a scarf, and her neck had been cut nearly a dozen times. There were no signs of forced entry.
Her friend and former coworker, Sheen Doran, described Eve as part of a close-knit group of women who socialized and looked out for one another at the Playboy Club. “We were a lovely bunch of girls, we stuck by each other and we all got on,” Doran told the BBC in 2025.
Two Separate Murders — One Major Connection
For years, the two murders appeared unrelated. The victims lived on opposite sides of London and were not believed to have known each other. But in 2004, detectives re-examining Lynne’s case conducted fresh DNA tests. The results, confirmed in 2006, showed that DNA found on both victims matched.
The link meant that the same man had killed both women. However, the DNA match did not identify the killer — it only connected the two crimes.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Mortimer, who led the investigation, explained the significance of the discovery: “Advances in forensic science mean that we are able to re-look at certain older cases with the very real possibility that some progress can be made that would not have been possible previously.”
How DNA Can Reopen a Cold Case
The connection between the two murders was made possible by the evolution of forensic DNA technology. In the 1970s, DNA profiling did not exist. Evidence collected from crime scenes — biological material that could identify a perpetrator — was stored but could not be analyzed at the molecular level.
By the mid-2000s, forensic science had advanced significantly. Investigators could extract DNA profiles from old evidence and compare them across cases. When a match was found, it established that the same individual was responsible for both crimes. This gave police a new investigative avenue: if they could identify the perpetrator through one case, they would solve the other.
However, a DNA match is not the same as a DNA identification. The match only links the crimes to the same unknown perpetrator. Identifying that person requires either a match to a known DNA profile in a database or new investigative work to find the individual whose DNA matches the evidence.
Why the Killer Has Not Been Identified
The 2006 DNA breakthrough was a major development, but it did not solve the case. The killer remains unidentified to this day.
One challenge is that the perpetrator may never have been arrested for a crime that would put his DNA in a national database. The murders occurred in 1975, and the suspect would now be in his 60s or 70s. He may have died, moved away, or simply never been caught for any offense that would have required a DNA sample.
Detectives have long believed that the killer may have confided in someone over the years. “It’s inconceivable the killer of Eve and Lynne has kept the perfect secret for 40 years,” said Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh in 2015. “It’s a heavy burden to carry and he must have let details slip over the years — maybe to a partner, a friend, even a cellmate.”
Timeline of the Case
March 18, 1975: Eve Stratford, 22, is last seen walking home to her east London flat. Neighbors hear a loud thud from her apartment. Her boyfriend returns to find her dead, hands tied by a scarf, neck cut nearly a dozen times.
September 3, 1975: Lynne Weedon, 16, leaves friends and begins walking home through Hounslow. She is followed into an alleyway, struck with a blunt object, thrown over a fence, and raped. She is found the following morning.
September 10, 1975: Lynne Weedon dies of her injuries at West Middlesex Hospital.
2004: Lynne’s case is reopened by the Metropolitan Police’s murder review group, and fresh DNA tests are conducted.
2006: DNA evidence confirms a link between Lynne Weedon’s murder and Eve Stratford’s murder.
2015: Police renew their appeal for information on the 40th anniversary of the murders and offer a £40,000 reward.
2025: The Metropolitan Police confirm both cases remain active investigations. The killer has not been identified.
What Investigators Know — and What Remains Unknown
What the Evidence Shows
- DNA found on both victims matches, confirming the same man killed Lynne Weedon and Eve Stratford.
- The killer is described as a white male, aged between 17 and 30 in 1975. He would now be in his 60s or 70s.
- The attacker knew the Hounslow area because the alleyway where Lynne was attacked was removed from busy streets where her screams might have been heard.
- There was no sign of forced entry into Eve’s apartment, suggesting she may have known her attacker or let him in willingly.
- The motive for both attacks was sexual.
What Investigators Still Don’t Know
- The identity of the killer.
- Whether the killer is still alive.
- Whether the killer committed other crimes that remain unsolved.
- Why the killer chose these two victims.
- Whether the killer has ever been arrested for any offense.
Why This Cold Case Matters
The connection between the two 1975 murders is more than just a forensic curiosity. For the families of Lynne Weedon and Eve Stratford, the DNA breakthrough brought a painful awareness: the same person who killed their loved one also murdered another woman. But it did not bring the answers they have sought for five decades.
Lynne’s mother, Margaret Weedon, made an impassioned plea on the 40th anniversary of her daughter’s death: “We have missed out on so much; she missed out on life, no relationship or marriage, no career or children or even just travelling the world, all taken from her. We are left 40 years on always wondering what it would have been like — a true life sentence.”
She also mourned Eve Stratford, whose surviving relatives had died without seeing the killer identified. “That young lady also had her life snubbed out,” Weedon said. “Her family have died now. Another true life sentence.”
The case serves as a stark reminder of how DNA evidence can link crimes decades apart and provide new investigative leads — but also of the limitations. A match is only as useful as the investigative work it enables.
What Happens Next?
The Metropolitan Police confirmed in 2025 that both murders remain active investigations. Historic unsolved cases are regularly reviewed to determine whether they can be advanced with the passage of time.
Advances in forensic genealogy, which have helped solve other decades-old cold cases, may one day provide new answers. Police have not disclosed whether they are pursuing this avenue or whether the killer’s DNA has been submitted for genealogical analysis.
Detective Chief Inspector Ali Foxwell, of the Specialist Crime Command, said it would be “inappropriate to comment further on an ongoing investigation.” She added that there is no evidence to link the murders to any other historic case, “but we retain an open mind.”
For Lynne’s friends, the case remains a haunting reminder of a life cut short. Her friend Vernon Grant, now in his 60s, told the BBC in 2025 that the murder “left a scar on us all. It affected everybody.”
“The trickle-down effects of a murder go way beyond the immediate family. The effects, I believe, can last for decades.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Lynne Weedon?
Lynne Weedon was a 16-year-old schoolgirl from Hounslow, west London, who was attacked and raped while walking home on September 3, 1975. She died a week later from her injuries.
What happened to Lynne Weedon in 1975?
She was followed into a secluded alleyway called The Short Hedges, struck with a heavy blunt object, thrown over a fence into the grounds of an electrical substation, and raped. She was found barely alive the next morning and died a week later.
Who was Eve Stratford?
Eve Stratford was a 22-year-old model and Playboy Bunny who worked at the Playboy Club in London. She was found murdered in her east London flat on March 18, 1975.
How were the two 1975 murders connected?
In 2006, DNA evidence from both crime scenes was matched, proving that the same man had killed both women.
What did DNA evidence reveal?
The DNA evidence linked the two murders to the same unidentified killer. It did not identify the killer.
Was Lynne Weedon’s killer identified?
No, the killer has not been identified.
Was Eve Stratford’s killer identified?
No, her killer also remains unidentified.
Why are DNA tests important in cold cases?
DNA tests can connect previously unrelated cases, rule out suspects, and, when a match is found to a known DNA profile, identify perpetrators. However, a DNA match between two cases does not by itself solve the crime.