25/01/2010

'Lady In Lake' Killer Takes Own Life

Gordon Park, the man known as the "lady in the lake" killer, has been found dead in his prison cell.

He was convicted of murdering his wife Carol in 2005. She went missing in July 1976. Her body was found 21 years later in Coniston Water in the Lake District.

Today was Park's 66th birthday. He was seeing out a life jail term at HMP Garth, Leyland, Lancashire.

Wardens found him hanging this morning. The death with now be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. However, it is believed Park took his own life.

A jury sitting at Manchester Crown Court in 2005 heard how Park had bludgeoned his wife to death with an ice axe and dumped her weighted body in the lake.

He claimed she had left him for another man until her remains were recovered by a diver in 1997.

In 2008 Park lost a bid to challenge his conviction. Mrs Park was dubbed the 'Lady in the Lake' by investigators.

(PR/GK)

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