Joy Hewer, 52, was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death at her own home on 17 October 1995.
The retired primary school teacher was found dead at around 11.45pm after police and firefighters were called to a blaze at the sixth floor flat in St David’s Court, off Parkstone Road, Walthamstow, east London.
Ms Hewer, a devout Christian, had suffered multiple injuries including a number of stab wounds to her chest. Experts concluded she had been sexually assaulted before she died.
There were no signs of forced entry at her flat, suggesting that Joy knew her killer. Two used coffee cups were found at her home.
A full DNA profile was recovered from the scene of the murder but so far – despite repeated appeals for information over the years – the case remains unsolved.
On the 30th anniversary of the murder, in October 2025, Joy’s sister renewed appeals for help tracing her killer and police renewed a £20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Joy was a gentle, caring woman who hurt no one, yet her life was taken in the cruelest way
We couldn’t think of a person less likely to be attacked in this way. She’d enjoyed her work as a teacher, adored her nieces and nephews and was fantastic with children. She regularly attended church and often helped at charity events.
Our family has lived with this torment for three decades, and our parents died without ever knowing the truth.
Someone out there knows what happened. Please, after all this time, do the right thing. Even the smallest detail could finally bring justice for Joy and peace for us, her family. If you know something, however small, now is the time to speak up – Joy deserves justice, and her family deserves peace
Penny Barnes, Joy’s younger sister
Joy had visited the London Healing Mission in Notting Hill on the afternoon of her death and was seen leaving at around 3.30pm before heading towards Pembridge Road.
She also visited a chemist near her home in Wood Street, Walthamstow, at 5.50pm.
A neighbour at St David’s Court heard loud noises or banging coming from Joy’s flat between around 10.30pm and 11pm.
Then at 11.18pm an unidentified man dialled 999 from a public telephone box along Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow, to report smoke coming from Joy’s flat.
While on the phone the caller can be heard asking someone what road they were standing in to assist the emergency call handler.
When firefighters arrived they broke into Joy’s flat and extinguished two fires which had been deliberately set in the bedroom and lounge. Joy’s body was found in the bedroom.
Police are still trying to trace the unidentified caller and the other person, who was standing in a queue at the bus stop. It is not known whether the other person was male or female but it is likely they were waiting for either the 212 bus to Walthamstow Central or the W16 to Leytonstone Station.
Detectives are also trying to trace a man seen on CCTV entering St David’s Court at around 10.30pm. He was described as white, aged in his 30s with short hair and wearing a light coloured jacket.
Joy was raised in Walthamstow, in Hoe Street, with Penny and her younger brother Steven. She was a devout Christian and regularly attended churches in the Walthamstow and Notting Hill areas.
Before retiring in 1990 she worked for many years as a dedicated primary school teacher in the local area, including the nearby Woodhouse Primary School. She never married but was close to family and friends and worked for various church organisations and charities including the London Healing Mission.
In 2025 Detective Constable Murray Bannister, from the Met’s Cold Case Homicide Team, said: “We urge anyone who might have information about what happened to Joy 30 years ago to contact police.
“A full DNA profile was recovered from the scene and we are continuing to explore all opportunities, including advancements in DNA technology.
“It may seem a long time ago, but three decades have not dulled the pain that this horrific act inflicted on her family. They are still fighting to get her justice, and we continue to use every means available to catch her killer.”
The case also featured on BBC’s Crimewatch programme on 14 December 2015.
To provide information, either call the Metropolitan Police on 07599822129, or, to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.