1980’s Murder

[BraveFacesEveryone]

This seems like the best place to ask this, but I wasn’t really sure if it’s too relatively recent.

I’ve always been aware that a reasonably distant family member went to prison in the 1980’s for, we think, murder. I don’t know much about it and the people that I’d ask understandably don’t want to talk about it but I am very very curious. All the info I really have is the name of the person who was sentenced and the area they were from along with the timeframe ‘30 years ago’, which I’m narrowing down to the 80’s.

Can anyone give me any ideas on where I can start looking? I’ve obviously googled ‘name location murder’ but it’s not really bringing anything up, and I have no idea where to go next. The person is maybe still alive and some of their close family still is, so I’m reluctant to post specifics or ask the people who do know. However, I am interested in it as I know what kind of thing I think is likely to have happened and I’d like to know if I’m right.

Anyone have any suggestions?

You could go to the local library and look through the newspaper cuttings.
Might be a time consuming task though if you don't even have a year.
A murder is likely to be on the front page of a local paper so might not be too bad.

Newspaper reports or court records for the time.

Yup, it's before news reports were on the internet or even necessarily digitised. See if there are local papers on the British Newspaper Archives, British Library is also an option if you want to go in person. Some local papers have archives at certain libraries. If you get more information, court records.

Oh! Yes local library is a good shout, our central library is huge! I will also see if I can get in touch with the local newspaper, excellent idea.

I feel like it’s obvious I’ve never really researched anything like this before..!

My ancestor's murder was in the 1890's and the inquest report made it into The Times!

Try the British Newspaper Archive. You need to pay for full access but you can search headlines for free. If you didn't want to pay this would help to speed up any library visits.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/?&ds_kid=43700030043692232&msclkid=aa78ebee8e9014a019868d22734189bb&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Competitors_British%20Library%20-%20Remarketing&utm_term=british%20library%20newspaper%20archives%20online&utm_content=British%20Library%20Newspaper%20Archives&gclid=aa78ebee8e9014a019868d22734189bb&gclsrc=3p.ds

I have access to the British Newspaper Archive online if you want to PM me the details, I can look for you this morning.

There is a newspapers.com site, I was looking for something about my own family but had no luck, mine however (fortunately!) Wasn't murder so I was unable to what I was looking for but maybe you will?

Good luck!

Thank you all!! @BasilParsley i will send you a pm but appreciate it’s a bit of a needle in a haystack exercise and totally understand if it will take too much of your time!