Portland hairdressing salon murders accused Robert Penny dies waiting to face court
A MAN accused of butchering his wife and her hairdresser has died awaiting trial, leaving a witness fearing he has taken “the real truth” to the grave.
Robert Penny, 83, who was on bail for the murders of his wife, Margaret, 58, and her hairdresser, Claire Acocks, 49, died on Saturday.
The two women were stabbed and repeatedly beaten and their throats were cut in Portland’s Old London Coiffure hair salon on May 3, 1991.
Shop owner Shaun Smith gave evidence in court last year that, days later, Mr Penny had entered his store and asked about cleaning products that could remove bloodstains.
“We will never really know 100 per cent the truth now,” Mr Smith said yesterday.
“I think he has taken to the grave the real truth.
A lot of people in Portland really believed that Robert was mixed up in it; people were relieved when somebody was charged.”
Mr Smith said he had reported Mr Penny’s “strange” and “jovial” behaviour to police, but they had failed to take a formal statement from him for more than 20 years.
“I was friends with the Acocks ... nothing would make me happier to find the person that did it, and now I feel that we’ll never know,” he said.
Mr Penny missed three court appearances last year because of a heart condition and respiratory problems.
He had been supported in court by his wife, Kim Morley; investigators believed they were having an affair at the time of the murders.
He moved in with and married Ms Morley soon after.
It is understood police could request an inquest.
Mr Penny’s lawyer, Rob Stary, said yesterday the investigation “shouldn’t stop at Mr Penny’s death. We think the perpetrator is still out there”.
Describing the Crown case as a shambles, he told the Herald Sun crime scene DNA evidence didn’t match Mr Penny; neither did descriptions of a person seen leaving the salon.
Mr Penny had told the Herald Sun he had no involvement.
“They had some new faces in the police force … and they suddenly decided it was my problem. It’s just bizarre.”
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