The Killing of Julia Wallace

[rashore]

Quote

As far as the American mystery writer Raymond Chandler was concerned, one baffling true crime beat anything he could ever have dreamt up. That case was the murder of Julia Wallace, the locked room mystery by which he judged all others.

Other great literary purveyors of murder, like P.D. James and Dorothy L Sayers, found the strange 1931 death of the Liverpool housewife just as baffling. But for all the mystery surrounding the circumstances of the crime, it is perhaps chief suspect William Herbert Wallace that remains the biggest conundrum of all.

The 52-year-old insurance salesman seemed strangely agitated as he rode the tram to his destination that dark winter evening on January 20th 1931. Wallace was looking for an address he had never heard of before and, whether deliberately or not, his behaviour was ensuring he would be remembered.

https://theunredacted.com/the-killing-of-julia-wallace-an-impossible-murder/

 

[Matt Vinyl]

Thanks for this, what an absolutely fascinating read! As the article states near the end - the last piece of the puzzle simply will not fit; no matter how many times one re-arranges the pieces.

 

First I was convinced it was Wallace, then Parry, then briefly John Johnstone, then back to Wallace again.

 

I'd suggest however that 'most' evidence points to Parry - motive, ability and willingness to commit the crime and his 'previous' too. But I'd still not stake any money on it. Thanks again for a great lunchtime read.

[Regi]

"In the 'Non-existent Road' case, I think Wallace was guilty.

I think he made the call from the phone box to support his alibi."

^ It's almost three years ago I said that, in a thread titled Five grisly unsolved English murders.

(When a case I remember having already considered is presented, I'm curious to see whether my opinions or impressions might currently be different. In this instance, there's more info. available which strengthens my opinion that Wallace murdered his wife.)

Edited August 9, 2017 by regi