THE brutal murder of mother-of-two Veronica “Vera” Anderson reaches its 35th anniversary today, with her killer still unidentified and Cheshire Police continuing to keep the case under review.
Vera was 42 when she was murdered in August 1991 after leaving her home in Hadfield Close, Widnes, following a mysterious late-night telephone call.
At around 10.10pm on Saturday, August 24, she left her home, asking a neighbour to look after her young son. Vera indicated that she would not be long and left the television switched on at home – suggesting she expected to return shortly. But she never returned.
Shortly after 3 am on Sunday, August 25, Vera was found dead in her blue Ford Cortina, which was parked off Tannery Lane in Penketh, Warrington.
A major murder investigation was launched, but despite extensive enquiries over more than three decades, nobody has ever been convicted of her murder.
The circumstances surrounding Vera’s death have made the case one of Cheshire’s most enduring unsolved murders.
Her throat had been cut and investigators recovered a blood-stained glove and a length of cord at the scene. A cartridge from a blank-firing handgun was also found in the footwell of the car, leading detectives to consider the possibility that a firearm may have been used to frighten Vera and prevent her from escaping.
Police have previously said the murder was neither sexual nor robbery-related and that the level of violence raised the possibility of a targeted killing.
The person who made the telephone call which prompted Vera to leave her home has never been identified.
There was also a reported sighting of a woman matching Vera’s description at the Crown and Cushion pub in Penketh that night, while a brown hatchback was seen leaving the service road close to where her body was later discovered. Police have investigated numerous lines of enquiry over the years.
Vera was also known to run her own sandwich business, delivering to local businesses and offices, and was remembered as a popular and outgoing woman.
Two arrests – but no charges
There was renewed hope that the long-running investigation might finally have reached a breakthrough in March 2022.
On March 23 that year, Cheshire Police arrested a 70-year-old man from Widnes and a 61-year-old woman from Warrington on suspicion of murder.
The arrests came more than 30 years after Vera’s death and followed a renewed public appeal for information.
Both suspects were subsequently released while further enquiries were carried out and were ultimately released without charge. They are no longer under investigation in connection with Vera’s murder.
The arrests remain the only publicly confirmed arrests specifically linked to Vera’s murder in the modern review of the case.
Vera’s murder has been the subject of repeated police appeals over the years, including an appearance on BBC Crimewatch following the 30th anniversary of her death.
In 2024, detectives also released a CCTV image of a man they wanted to identify as part of their investigation. Two people pictured in the CCTV footage were subsequently identified and the appeal was withdrawn, although police did not disclose further details about them.
Cheshire Police renewed their appeal again around the 34th anniversary last year, stressing that cold cases are not closed or forgotten.
For Vera’s family, however, the passage of 35 years has done nothing to remove the pain of losing her – or the unanswered questions surrounding what happened after she walked out of her Widnes home that night.
Today, as the anniversary of her death is marked, the case remains open and police continue to welcome any information, however old or seemingly insignificant it may appear.
A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: “While there have been no significant developments, the case remains under constant review.
“Our thoughts are with the family at this time of year.”
DS Jessica Barlow, of the major crime review team at Cheshire Police, previously said: “The unsolved murder of Vera Anderson remains a very topical and emotive investigation in the Warrington and Widnes areas.
“As with all of Cheshire Police cold cases, they are never closed or forgotten.
“We welcome any new information or intelligence regarding the murder of Vera Anderson, and we hope that by acknowledging the anniversary of her horrific murder, this may encourage people to speak out and contact us.
“We continue to support Vera’s family via the deployment of specialist officers from our major crime review team.”
Anyone with any information is urged to call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting occurrence number 0709373610, or visit cheshire.police.uk.
Information can also be given anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
