Did murdered 83-year-old have row with fellow dog walker?
Shopping at a post office, this is the final picture of the 83-year-old grandfather who was murdered as he enjoyed a country walk with his two dogs.
CCTV released by police shows pensioner peter Wrighton just minutes before he drove to a nearby wood, where he was stabbed to death yards from his car.
As the probe entered its seventh day last night, detectives said they want to speak to three men in connection with the murder, including one seen changing into a fresh T-shirt on the road where the victim parked his car.
investigators also confirmed that lines of inquiry include the possibility that Mr Wrighton became embroiled in an argument with a fellow dog walker.
it is understood that a witness told police earlier in the week that he saw two elderly men involved in a heated discussion in the woodland.
The sighting is thought to have taken place on Saturday morning, shortly before the brutal killing of Mr Wrighton.
norfolk police admitted it took them two days before they launched a full murder inquiry into the former BT worker’s death, because they initially believed he may have been mauled by an animal.
officers said they were ‘concerned’ that they have still made no arrests and admitted ‘many lines’ of inquiry remain open. The murder weapon has yet to be found, and police do not know whether Mr Wrighton knew his attacker or any motive.
Among other theories is the suggestion that he could have been attacked by travellers previously seen camping in the forest.
police will also explore whether Mr Wrighton could have been the victim of a mistaken identity.
his name is similar to that of notorious paedophile peter Righton, who lived just 16 miles away, but died a decade ago. The crime scene, on the outskirts of East harling, norfolk, is also less than two miles from a campsite, and last night police confirmed they are trying to track down those who stayed there in case the killer was visiting the area.
Mr Wrighton, a father- of-two described as a ‘lovely, gentle husband’ by his wife Ann, 78, is believed to have been murdered minutes into his walk. he was stabbed in the neck and head just 50 yards from his red Skoda Fabia.
his lifeless body was found by a fellow walker who alerted the police at 10.45am on Saturday.
Just half an hour earlier, Mr Wrighton was caught on CCTV shopping at a local store five miles away from the murder scene.
Detective Superintendent Andy Smith, who is leading the inquiry, yesterday said the investigation had reached a ‘huge’ scale, with 100 officers involved.
police have also been deployed to surrounding villages to reassure locals, who are terrified that a killer remains on the loose in the usuallyknifingwould havewas low-crimeso been brutal community.splatteredthat the killer with The the victim’s blood, police said.
The three men asked to come forward are of varying ages and could not have been together. The first is believed to have changed into a white T- shirt on the road where Mr Wrighton had parked. officers say he was wearing heavyrimmed glasses and light coloured trousers and is aged over 50.
The second man is described as white with a tanned complexion, aged build between25 to 30, 5ft with 9in andan athletic5ft 11in and wearing a blue or grey t-shirt, shorts and flip flops. The third is described as white between 30 to 50 years old, of a medium build wearing dark coloured clothing, and was seen walking without a dog in the northern area of the heath. An inquest into Mr Wrighton’s death was yesterday opened and adjourned. The cause of death was recorded as ‘incised wounds to the neck’.