The case was reopened in 2013 but was closed again
Cambridgeshire is quite a quiet county compared to the rest of England but it has had some gruesome murders over the years. One of the most famous crimes to have happened in the area is the unsolved murder of Cambridgeshire doorman Ian Grant.
The 24-year-old was shot in the back of the head on Tuesday, November 14, 1995, and his murder still remains a mystery today. Mr Grant was last seen at 8pm that evening with his body being found a few hours later near Fulbourn Hospital, which was close to his home on Speedwell Close, Cherry Hinton.
Detectives reported that he had been shot in the back of the head at close range and had another bullet wound in his hand. They described it as being an execution-style murder.
Mr Grant had been unemployed at the time of his murder but had previously worked as a doorman and was a bodybuilder and amateur boxer. Mr Grant’s girlfriend’s car had been torched outside of their flat two weeks before his death, which is believed to be linked to the murder.
His girlfriend, Samantha Kerslake, who was 21 at the time, last saw Mr Grant when he left their home to speak to a man that had been hanging around outside. After the murder, Ms Kerslake made an emotional statement at a press conference.
In the Cambridge News, she was quoted saying: “We loved each other in a way I simply cannot describe.
“At first we were carefree and having fun but I later realised there was more to the relationship. We grew together and shared a lot of love and happiness, Ian was always generous, quick-witted, trusting and kind.
“He would always help people as much as he could. His smile would light up his whole face. He gave so much to so many people.”
Throughout the investigation, several arrests were made with many not being charged for the murder. In 2000, two men were tried for conspiring to murder Ian Grant with both pleading not guilty.
One of the men was cleared after a six-week long trial but the jury were unable to make a decision on the other. There was a retrial in 2001 where he was acquitted of conspiring to murder Mr Grant.
In 2013, the case was reopened with new forensic evidence coming to light and the police said there had been a “significant breakthrough”. The police added they had been contacted with information by people who had “previous involvement in criminality”.
Mr Grant’s parents, Virginia and James Grant, said they felt a “glimmer of hope” that his killer would be brought to justice after the new evidence was presented. In a tribute to her son, Virginia said: “To us, Ian was the perfect son. He was always considerate of our thoughts and feelings. We didn’t just lose our son that day, I also lost my best friend.
“Ian adored all animals and I have fond memories of him rescuing hedgehogs and other injured animals, and his joy when he could do something to help them. Ian was known by his family and friends as a real gentle giant, and he really was just that.
“Ian was a wonderful, kind person and a true gentleman.”
The case eventually went cold again when the man who had been arrested on suspicion of murder was released without being charged in 2014. To this day, the murder of Mr Grant remains unsolved and is still surrounded by mystery.
