Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
A mystery that remains unsolved to this day, immortalized in the book “The World’s Greatest Criminal Cases,” is the mysterious disappearance of Linda Sturley in July 1982 in the English town of Biggin Hill. Linda was 29 years old at the time of her disappearance and six months pregnant with her third child. She had been married to Graham Sturley for several years. The two had what many would describe as a “stormy relationship”—one marked by frequent arguments and occasional physical violence. However, when Graham discovered his pregnant wife’s infidelity, Linda disappeared without a trace. Could this have been a coincidence? Graham claimed that Linda had run away, and it was only through the persistent insistence of Linda’s family that a police investigation began over a year later. Investigators were determined to find out what had happened to Linda Sturley. Graham had met Linda Holland, as she was then known, shortly after his release from a one-year prison sentence for selling stolen goods while working as a shopkeeper. Graham had held many jobs, including private investigator, taxi driver, and at the time of his wife’s disappearance, he described himself as a real estate agent. As a taxi driver, he met Linda, who was much younger than him. They married soon after and settled in a well-kept suburban house on Main Road in Biggin Hill. Shortly after the wedding, both had affairs. They argued frequently and sometimes resorted to physical violence. Despite these difficulties, they had a son named Wayne and a daughter named Sharon, whom they both loved dearly. Although Linda and Graham’s marriage was turbulent, Graham got on well with Linda’s family. The marriage almost ended when Graham used his detective skills to find out that Linda was planning to leave him for another man. He had actually tapped his own phone and recorded all the conversations between Linda and her lover. Nevertheless, they reconciled. But the arguments and fights soon started again. Linda, 29, worked as a sales representative for Avon Cosmetics and was six months pregnant when she disappeared. Her sister recalled a phone call with her during the month of her disappearance. She later told the police that Linda said Graham had hit her in the face, split her lip, and punched her in the stomach because he believed the child was not his but Linda’s lover’s. On July 28, 1981, Linda’s sister called the Sturleys’ house to speak to her. Graham replied vaguely that she had gone out. Her family believed him because, given the state of their marriage, they had no reason to doubt his words. They assumed she would be in touch soon, as her children had stayed with Graham. After Linda disappeared, Graham told 6-year-old Sharon and 4-year-old Wayne that their mother was gone and would not be coming back. Since Linda’s disappearance, Graham continued his life unchanged. However, the police later discovered that someone had forged Linda’s signature and withdrawn everything from her savings account and cashed her maternity benefit checks. A year later, in July 1982, Linda’s family finally decided to involve the police. Her mother, Ada Webb, went to the police and convinced them to question Graham about her daughter’s mysterious disappearance. The family told the police that Linda loved her children and would never have left them voluntarily. The investigation was led by Detective Chief Superintendent Algernon Hemmingway and Detective Chief Inspector George Cressy. However, due to the one-year delay, the investigation was at a significant disadvantage. On August 17, 1982, the police arrived at the Sturleys’ home to question 38-year-old Graham about his wife’s whereabouts. During questioning, he stated that she had run away and that he did not know when or if she would ever return. Due to Graham’s health problems, the police had to question him gently, as he suffered from heart disease. Graham told the police about his wife’s affairs and that he was glad to be rid of her. Under further pressure, he admitted to hitting her in the face and splitting her lip, but denied hitting her in the stomach. After talking to neighbors, investigators learned that Graham had burned all of Linda’s clothes in a large fire shortly after her disappearance. The police continued to try to find Linda and checked with her doctor, who told them that her pregnancy would require a caesarean section. They then checked all maternity and general hospitals in the UK but found no records of anyone matching Linda’s description. Graham denied any wrongdoing in further police interviews and stuck to his story that his unfaithful wife had simply run away. He said, “She has run away from me so many times that I didn’t report her missing… I’m glad she’s gone, I never want to see her again.” The police finally began searching the Sturleys’ house for evidence of Linda’s body. The floorboards in the living room were removed and the brickwork was checked for hidden objects. The police searched for traces of blood and assumed that the body had been dismembered in the house and buried elsewhere. They brought infrared and heat detection equipment to search the house and the front and back gardens. But they were unsuccessful, so they extended their search to the surrounding woods and used sniffer dogs, while local lakes, ponds, and streams were searched for evidence. Then, 30 miles away, someone discovered a woman’s bones. Forensic teams examined them but determined that they were not Linda’s. After a three-month investigation, police were confident they had enough evidence to charge Graham Sturley with the murder of Linda Sturley. As investigators began to piece together their case, Graham Sturley died of a heart attack. The murder investigation was closed, and Sturley’s lawyer confirmed that his client had left a will settling his assets. However, there was no confession, and he never admitted to having anything to do with his wife’s disappearance. In a final cryptic message, someone left a wreath on Graham Sturley’s coffin that read, “Well, that’s settled, Sturley. With love.” What was the meaning of this message? Did it come from Linda herself or her killer? What actually happened to Linda Sturley remains a mystery. Perhaps this puzzle will be solved someday.
