Linda Guest

Linda Guest was found stabbed to death in Lover's Lane off Perrinpit Lane, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol on Sunday, 21 April 1985.

She was found half-naked, having been sexually assaulted and stabbed.

She was found on a bridlepath by a gateway at 12.30am by a young man and his girlfriend.

Linda Guest had been a prostitute and had lived in Hepburn Road, St Paul's, Bristol and had operated in her home district. She had also been known as Jackie Waines. Although she lived in Hepburn Road, she had a second home in a maisonette in nearby Bevin Court.

She was described as having lived a sad and lonely double life.

The police appealed for anyone that had seen her being picked up by a client on the Saturday night. They later noted that they had traced her movements up until 11.20pm on the Saturday night, but added that the missing 70 minutes would hold the key to her murder. However, the police said that they were still keen to talk to other prostitutes that had been out on the Saturday night as well as kerb-crawling potential clients.

A detective said that it had been a vicious attack, probably with a knife.

The police said that they were anxious to trace a dark-blue saloon car seen being towed away after crashing into a roadside bank at 12.40am on the Sunday, just two miles away from the murder scene, near Leyhill prison. However, it was later stated that they had traced the driver and ruled him out.

The police said they were also seeking the driver of a red Cortina or Granada who was seen talking to Linda Guest and then driving off with her from the corner of Brigstock Road and Hepburn Road in St Pauls around 10.45pm on the Saturday night.

The man was described as having been:

• Aged 30 to 40.
• Average build.
• Casually dressed.
• Long fair hair with highlights that seemed to have been permed.
• Small fair moustache.

A similar car to the red Cortina with its doors open was later seen in the Lover's Lane around the time Linda Guest's body was discovered.

Detectives carrying out the investigation said that they were looking into connections between her murder and that of Shelley Morgan.

Linda Guest had had three children.