Emily Hales is on a mission. She wants answers about her mother’s murder, which happened exactly 30 years ago. Despite being the only witness to the brutal attack, Emily was only 18 months old and cannot remember anything about it. Her mother, Karen Hales, was stabbed and set alight on 21 November 1993. No-one has ever been charged with the murder.
Now a mother herself, Emily spoke to the BBC about her pain at not knowing her mother or her killer’s identity. She said that, as a child, she would ask for her mother frequently and was told by her maternal grandmother that she no longer had a mum. Emily was not harmed during the attack and was picked up by her grandparents soon afterwards. At 31, Emily still grieves for her mother and wishes she could remember something that could help the police find the killer.
Although Emily was young when her mother died, she has been told that they have many similarities. People say she has the same eyes and hair as Karen. Emily wishes that she could have a normal relationship with her mother and thinks about what they might have done together on Karen’s birthday. Emily’s grandparents, Karen’s parents, are in their late 70s and Emily hopes that the person responsible for Karen’s murder will come forward before it is too late.
Suffolk Police launched a massive investigation after Karen’s murder, with more than 50 officers working on the case. They interviewed hundreds of witnesses and seized more than 300 items. Despite this, the killer remained unidentified. In 2018, on the 25th anniversary of the murder, police received new information. They encouraged anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward, promising confidentiality. There have been no updates since.
Emily is determined to keep her mother’s memory alive and to find justice for Karen. She grieves for the life they could have had together and wishes she could remember what happened that day. Emily’s son will never know his grandmother. The fear that her son might lose her too has made Emily even more determined to find answers
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