Man charged with murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce over 30 years ago

Police had DNA profile of Knell’s suspected killer, but had never found match

Caroline Pierce was killed after being attacked outside her Kent home (PA)

A man has been charged with the murder of two women in Kent more than three decades ago.

Police said David Fuller, 66, from Heathfield, East Sussex, is being held over the deaths of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in 1987.

He has been remanded in custody to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.

Shop manager Knell, 25, was found sexually assaulted and beaten to death in her bedsit in Guildford Road, Tunbridge Wells, on 23 June, after failing to turn up for work.

The second victim, also from Tunbridge Wells, was killed five months later after being attacked outside her home in Grosvenor Park.

Wendy Knell was found sexually assaulted and beaten to death (PA)

Pierce was last seen at about midnight on 24 November, when she was dropped off by a taxi at her home.

Screams were heard outside the house and her body was found by a farmworker in a drainage ditch 40 miles away on Romney Marsh on 15 December that year.

The cases had remained unsolved and subject to periodic reviews by cold case detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

Kent Police officers had previously said they had a full DNA profile of Knell’s suspected killer, but had never found a match.

A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Families of both victims have been informed of the arrest and are being kept updated.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kent Police on 01622 652006 quoting case reference 46/YY/16746/20 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Additional reporting by agencies