According to Ruislip Online, American servicemen stationed nearby became the murder investigation’s focus. Shortly after, several women came forward and said they had been approached by “strange” men close to where Townsend’s body had been found. MyLondon reports that they specifically mentioned a man with a “high forehead” who had an American accent and an American car.
The Mystery Box reports that police were later given clothes from a dry cleaner that were blood stained, and had been brought in by a man with a similar description. Police would take “over 600 statements” during the investigation (via Unsolved Murders UK). They believe that Townsend did not know her killer and was most likely offered a ride after she left the station or was forced into a car. Ultimately, police said they did not believe an American serviceman was involved after all.
Despite these details, Townsend’s case would go cold. In 1982, it was revealed that there had been several anonymous calls made regarding Townsend’s murder. Nothing would come from them, however. Her clothes were later tested for DNA in the 1990s to no avail. Oddly, in 2005, a request for Townsend’s files via the Freedom of Information Act was refused. As of 2022, her case still remains unsolved.
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