The Unsolved Murder of Jill Dando
Jill Dando was a British celebrity who was fatally shot outside her home in Fulham, West London, on April 26th 1999. She was a newsreader, broadcaster and journalist. Barry George was convicted of the crime but was later acquitted. In 2026, we still do not know who killed Jill Dando, and her murder remains unsolved. The latest information on the Jill Dando case is that Scotland Yard is not actively investigating the murder. However, if any new evidence comes to light, they will investigate it. The case is covered in detail in Jill Dando: Her Life and Death (AD*).
Jill Dando’s Murder
Jill Dando was killed on April 26th 1999, on the doorstep of her home. Initially, it was believed that she had been stabbed, but it was later discovered during Jill Dando’s autopsy that she had been shot in the head at point-blank range. A neighbour reported hearing a startled cry, “like someone greeting a friend,” but did not hear the gunshot. She was discovered by a neighbour around 15 minutes after the shooting and was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 1.03 pm.
Several witnesses reported seeing suspicious people and vehicles in the area. A neighbour reported seeing a white man in his 40s, around 6 feet tall, walking away from the crime scene, while a postman witnessed a man in a suit with dark hair near the area. A traffic warden also saw a suspicious Range Rover, which reportedly sped away from the crime scene just minutes after the shooting. Two witnesses reported seeing a man with black hair running away from the scene.
After the shooting, there was further suspicious activity in the area. A man was spotted crouching and hiding nearby while talking frantically on a mobile phone. The same man was believed to have run across the road around 10 minutes later on the next street, causing a motorist to brake suddenly. Jill Dando’s funeral took place on May 21st 1999 and was attended by hundreds of members of the public.
Who killed Jill Dando?
The investigation was complex for Scotland Yard. Jill was a famous television personality, and there was no DNA left at the crime scene. The bullet casing found at the scene had markings suggesting that the bullet was handmade, adding another unusual detail to the investigation. A year into the investigation, there were still no real leads as to who had killed Jill. Investigators had interviewed over 2,000 members of the public and taken more than 1,000 statements.
Police viewed CCTV of Jill and could not see anyone following her on the day of the crime. They ruled out jealous ex-boyfriends, a lover and Jill Dando’s fiancé, Alan Farthing, using her phone records as part of the investigation. A local resident, Barry George, eventually became the centre of the Scotland Yard investigation. He had a history of sexual offences and unusual behaviour, and during a search of his home, police discovered rolls of film and photographs taken of unsuspecting women and female presenters. There was also a photograph of him holding a gun.
Barry George had names, registration plates and addresses of local women in the area close to Jill’s home. He was placed under surveillance for three weeks, and during this time approached 38 women.
Barry George – Conviction and Acquittal
Barry George was convicted of Jill Dando’s murder on July 2nd 2001, after five days of jury deliberation, and was later sentenced to life imprisonment. George was convicted largely because of forensic evidence, including a single particle of gunshot residue found in his coat pocket. Barry launched two appeals against his conviction unsuccessfully, but his third appeal was successful because the gunshot residue evidence found on him was discredited as inconclusive. The remaining evidence was circumstantial, so the original conviction was quashed and a second trial was ordered.
In August 2008, after an eight-week trial, Barry George was acquitted of the murder of Jill Dando. The defence argued that he did not have the IQ to plan such a complicated murder and also said there was no physical evidence showing that he had been at the crime scene. After his acquittal, he was the subject of several news articles that still claimed he was her killer. He sued the newspapers for libel, resulting in substantial damages.
His sister wrote a book about the case against her brother called Stand Against Injustice: The Untold Story of the Family of Barry George, Wrongly Convicted for the Murder of Jill Dando (AD*).
Suspects
Initially, police believed the crime had been committed by a crazed individual working alone, partly because of the bullet they found at the scene. However, in 2008, a review revealed that they had switched their theory to the possibility that it was an organised hit. There have been several Jill Dando conspiracy theories, including the possibility of mistaken identity, while another theory suggested that a deranged fan may have been responsible or that the killing had been ordered by a rival. Due to her involvement with Crimewatch, there was also a theory that a criminal may have ordered the hit in revenge, while another suggested that the killing may have been a gangland hit.
Jill was also said to have had information about a paedophile ring involving celebrities. Some claims suggested that she was close to exposing its members to BBC bosses, although the BBC has said that nothing was presented to them before her death. The IRA were also suspected because Jill was connected to the police through her position as a presenter on Crimewatch. A letter from an IRA member claimed responsibility, although it was never confirmed as legitimate.
More Theories
A popular theory was that the Jill Dando assassination had been ordered by a Serbian group in retaliation for the bombing of a television station in Serbia. This was partly based on similarities with assassinations carried out by Yugoslav Communists, which were often carried out by a gunman on the doorstep of the victim with expert precision, leaving little evidence behind. An assassination had been carried out days earlier that was said to be similar to the killing of Jill, but police were unable to find evidence supporting the theory.
Joe, an acquaintance of killer Kenneth Noye, was also suspected. Kenneth Noye had been imprisoned as a result of a Crimewatch appeal, and Joe was said to owe him money. He was reputed to be a skilled gunman and wanted to build some credibility in the gangland scene.
In 2017, an anonymous hitman revealed to a journalist that he knew the identity of Jill’s killer. He was on the list of potential suspects from the original investigation, but the hitman would not name the killer because he feared being targeted. The Jill Dando mystery remains unsolved, and we may never know who murdered Jill Dando.
The Murder of Jill Dando
The BBC documentary The Murder of Jill Dando was released on April 2nd 2019. Several family members, friends, colleagues, witnesses and police officers were interviewed. The documentary revealed threats made against other BBC staff and new evidence that was previously unknown to the public, including crime scene photographs taken at Jill Dando’s house.
