06 December 2023 , 19:30
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The death of Shani Warren was a mystery until a cold case team found new evidence over three decades after her floating corpse was found in a lake.
In April 1987, the body of 26-year-old Shani was discovered at the edge of Taplow Lake in Slough, with her hands tied behind her back and her mouth gagged. The secretary - dubbed the 'Lady in the Lake' - had left her car unlocked, with one door slightly open and her personal belongings inside, after running a couple of errands ahead of the Easter weekend.
A home office pathologist was certain Shani had tied herself up and taken her own life, but her heartbroken parents, lawyer and doctor were all convinced she was not suicidal. The coroner recorded an open verdict and said there was not sufficient evidence to prove suicide or murder. So, Shani's case remained unsolved for decades - until a major crime review team revisited it.
The lake in Slough where the body of Shani was tragically found bound, gagged and floating in 1987 (Graham Trott/ANL/REX/Shutterstock)Over 30 years later, a full-scale post-mortem examination discovered new evidence and officers launched a murder investigation into Shani's death. DNA traces proved a match to prolific serial rapist Donald Robertson. In 1981, Robertson was arrested for the rape of a 16-year-old girl, but there was not enough evidence to charge him. Just days after his release, he raped a 14-year-old girl, and less than two months after Shani's death, he raped a 17-year-old girl just miles away from Taplow Lake, where Shani's body was found.
He was convicted of the latter crime in 2010 and was in prison when he was arrested for Shani's murder in 2021. Prosecutors said the turning point of the case against Robertson was the DNA evidence that emerged after his attacks on Warren and the 16-year-old - as traces were found on the underwear of both victims, and a mouth gag used on Warren.
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Her family revealed that both her parents had died during the Covid-19 pandemic, never knowing who had killed their daughter. In May 2022, Robertson, 66, was handed a life sentence at Reading Crown Court, to serve a minimum of 30 years in custody. The verdict was unanimous with jurors taking just seven hours and 18 minutes to decide. In 2052, a parole board will decide whether Robertson can be released, if he is still alive.
Prolific rapist Donald Robertson was found guilty of raping and murdering Shani in May 2022 (PA)Speaking to absentee Robertson at the sentencing last year, Justice Wall noted that Shani's remaining family members had to wait 35 years until they knew for certain that he was responsible. "They have been told at times she might have killed herself, and at other times, she might have been killed by another man," he said. "The anguish of having to wait for so long for the truth to emerge must make the suffering so hard to endure."
Robertson was also convicted of kidnapping and raping a 16-year-old girl, who cannot be identified, in July 1981. She told police she had been attacked while walking home. "I screamed and ran into the road. I was crouched down and was screaming. He said, 'Don't scream, don't scream. I've got a knife and I'll kill you'. I believed him." The court heard how she was then led to a nearby wood and raped. Robertson allegedly told her before the attack: "You'd better please me or you won't see anyone again." He was arrested the day after on suspicion of rape and agreed to take part in an ID parade, but the alleged victim failed to pick him out.
- Dark Water: The Murder of Shani Warren airs on repeat on Channel 5 at 10pm tonight.