Arsenic-laced beer the murder weapon in 1966 killing — but who did it?
DETECTIVES are reinvestigating the 1966 cold-case murder of Clarence Greenwood who died after drinking several bottles of beer laced with arsenic.
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TWO people hold the key to the 1966 poisoning death of Clarence Greenwood.
Like Clarence, both had direct access to the arsenic-based chemical that he swallowed after it was put into his beer.
The pair – his nephew, Daniel, and brother, Peter – worked at W Foster and Co wool and skin merchants, at Hindmarsh, with Clarence. They used the chemical vallo to treat animal skins.
While Peter Greenwood was questioned extensively over his brother’s death – as late as 2004 – and denied any involvement, Daniel has since vanished and cannot be found.
MORE: How a suspected heart attack was really cyanide poisoning
The murder of Clarence, 40, in March, 1966, is one of the state’s oldest cold cases.
Major Crime detectives have a possible motive for his murder but do not want it disclosed other than to say it is most likely related to Mr Greenwood’s “complex’’ family situation.
Detective Brevet Sergeant Erin Vanderwoude said the case was intriguing and many witnesses had been “evasive’’.
“A lot of inquiries have been made to locate Daniel Greenwood but it appears he lives a fairly vagrant lifestyle in Western Australia,’’ she said.
An alcoholic with associated health problems including a stomach ulcer, Clarence was involved in a testy relationship with his defacto, Annie Greenwood, also known as Gwen Smith, with whom he had 12 children.
He had been the subject of a domestic violence order that he breached in February, 1966, and for which was jailed.
On March 3, 1966 – the day before his death – Clarence was bailed when his mother, Lillian, and brother, Frank, paid his fine.
That afternoon, the trio went to various hotels before Frank bought four bottles of beer and two bottles of stout at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Hindmarsh, before walking to Lillian’s home on Drayton St, Bowden, where Peter was staying.
During the afternoon, Peter was told he would have to leave to make room for Clarence to live there. Two of Clarence’s children, Peter and Beryl, and his nephew, Daniel, also resided there.
“Clarence and Frank then went to another friend’s house for more drinks and the returned to Bowden about 11pm and some of the purchased alcohol was consumed,’’ Det-Bvt-Sgt Vanderwoude said.
Investigating officers were told that Clarence went to bed but was complaining of an upset stomach. He got out of bed about 4.30am and vomited, as did Frank.
Clarence then opened another bottle of beer and drank it before returning to bed. Curiously, Frank said the beer was flat and he only drank a very small amount.
A doctor was called at 8am but, at 11.30am, they found Clarence dead in bed. A subsequent autopsy revealed he had died of arsenic poisoning.
Both Clarence’s mother and Frank also got sick after consuming the tainted alcohol but recovered.
“Police seized the alcohol bottles and found that three of them were contaminated with arsenic,’’ Det-Bvt-Sgt Vanderwoude said.
“We think only Daniel and Peter can assist us with either how the vallo came to be in the house or in the alcohol that was consumed by Clarence, Frank and Lillian.’’
Peter, who died last year in his eighties, was known to police and had a record of sex offending against several of Clarence’s children.
Several years after Clarence’s death, Peter was also convicted of buggery involving Daniel.
A reward of $200,000 is available for information that may solve the case.