Man charged with 2013 murder of widow, 86

A man has been charged with the murder of an 86-year-old widow found dead at her bungalow in 2013.

Una Crown was lying in a pool of blood surrounded by burnt newspaper in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 13 January.

Detectives investigating her death have charged David Newton, a 69-year-old man from Magazine Close in the town, police said.

Mr Newton has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear at Cambridge Magistrates' Court later.

He was arrested on Monday morning and detained at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough.

Retired postmistress Mrs Crown was found by emergency workers after family and neighbours became concerned about her welfare but her death was originally treated as an accident.

The attending police officers found burnt clothing in the hallway of her home, also in Magazine Close.

The two police officers initially concluded that the death was not suspicious and believed Mrs Crown's clothing had accidentally caught fire due to a faulty hob ring.

Police had believed she tried to put the fire out with a tea towel, panicked and died from a heart attack.

However, a post-mortem examination concluded Mrs Crown died from stab wounds to her neck and chest.

Police said Mrs Crown was last seen alive on 11 January, two days before she was found dead.

She had also spoken to a friend on the phone at about 17:00 GMT the day before her body was found.

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