- Death of Gareth Williams
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Gareth Williams, an employee of GCHQ seconded to the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), was found dead in suspicious circumstances at a Security Services safe house flat in Pimlico, London, during August 2010.[1] Williams' decomposing remains were discovered locked into a sports bag[2] on 23 August 2010 at around 16:40[3] after the police forced an entry into his top floor flat in Alderney Street, Pimlico.
Contents
Background
Originally from Anglesey, North Wales,[4] Williams (born c.1979) began studying mathematics part-time at University of Wales, Bangor, while still at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern school and graduated with a first-class degree at age 17.[5] After gaining a PhD at University of Manchester, he dropped out from a subsequent post-graduate course at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and took up employment with GCHQ in Cheltenham, renting a room for a decade in Prestbury. Reportedly an intensely private man and a keen cyclist, Williams was due to return to Cheltenham at the beginning of September 2010 after his annual leave.[6] Williams was buried in Holyhead on 26 September, in a private family service attended by the head of MI6, Sir John Sawers.
Investigation
Williams' body was found in a padlocked duffel bag in the bath of an en-suite bathroom of the main bedroom during the afternoon of Monday 23 August 2010, eight days after he had last been seen alive.[2][7] Police visited Williams' home as a "welfare check" after colleagues noted he had been out of contact for several days.[8]
After launching an investigation "a cause of death has not yet been determined",[9] but as of 6 September authorities stated that the body showed no signs of stab or gunshot wounds and was free of alcohol and common recreational drugs.[9][10][11] The Metropolitan Police consider his death "suspicious and unexplained".[12] The FBI have also conducted their own investigation into the case.[13]
In December 2010, police released further details, stating that Williams had visited a number of bondage websites. An expert brought in to examine the bag in which Williams body was found, concluded Williams could not have locked it. A police spokes person stated that: "If he was alive, he got into it voluntarily or, if not, he was unconscious and placed in the bag."[14] Forensic experts calculated that the temperature inside the bag would have risen to 30°C within three minutes, and Williams would have suffocated within half-an-hour. Williams date of death was estimated to have been in the early hours of 16 August, one week before he was found. Consequently, the police released an efit photo of the two people they were seeking, who were seen to enter the communal entrance of his home in June or July 2010.[14]
References
- ^ Sam Jones and Helen Pidd "'British spy' found dead identified as Foreign Office worker", The Guardian, 25 August 2010
- ^ a b "Body of MI6 worker Gareth Williams 'locked in bag'". BBC News. 1 September 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11152467. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Helen Pidd "'British spy' found dead in bath", The Guardian, 25 August 2010
- ^ Wales Tonight (ITV Wales) - ITV Local
- ^ "MI6 worker Gareth Williams was an 'exceptional' pupil". BBC North West Wales. 26 August 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-11095158. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
- ^ Vikram Dodd, et al "MI6 worker murdered, stuffed in a bag and dumped in a bath", The Guardian, 25 August 2010
- ^ "Spy last seen alive eight days before body was found in bag", The Guardian (Press Association), 28 August 2010
- ^ "Exclusive: new details on MI6 spy's death", Channel 4 News, 28 August 2010
- ^ a b Police appeal for information in MI6 worker, Gareth Williams, death inquiry « ITV Wales
- ^ Sam Jones and Matthew Taylor "Gareth Williams's parents identify body", The Guardian, 26 August 2010
- ^ "Police issue CCTV footage of dead MI6 worker"
- ^ "More tests due on body of MI6 worker Gareth Williams", BBC News, 26 August 2010
- ^ Thomas, Gordon; Sawer, Patrick (25 September 2010). "FBI joins investigation into MI6 spy's death". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8024998/FBI-joins-investigation-into-MI6-spys-death.html.
- ^ a b "Dead MI6 spy Gareth Williams 'visited bondage websites'". BBC News. 22 December 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12059910. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
External links
- "Who was Gareth Williams?" November 2010.
Categories:- Murder in 2010
- 2010 deaths
- Murder in London
- Unsolved murders in the United Kingdom
- Deaths by person
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