Murder victim in park 'may have been lured there' (From Watford Observer)

Murder victim in Aldenham Country Park 'may have been lured there'

2:37pm Thursday 25th February 2010 in News By Chris Hewett

A man found bludgeoned to death in Aldenham Country Park on Wednesday morning could have been lured there by someone he knew, police have said.

Gary Bennett, 46, from Little Oxhey Lane, South Oxhey, was found by horrified teenage students on their way to school at about 8.50am at the park, in Dagger Lane, Elstree.

Ambulance services pronounced him dead on arrival and police closed off the area while a forensic team set up a tent around the body.

Detective Superintendent Mick Hanlon gave a press briefing at the scene at 1.30pm on Thursday.

He said: “Whilst this is an early stage of the investigation, I believe this was a targeted attack.

“Gary clearly suffered a lot of trauma - this was a very violent incident.

“Gary clearly suffered a lot of trauma - this was a very violent incident.

- Detective Superintendent Mick Hanlon

“Our line of enquiry is that we are looking for someone that knew him as opposed to a random attack.

“Quite clearly he has left his home address and must have got here in a vehicle and, its fair to say, that a line of inquiry is that he would have known who was in that vehicle.

“We want to piece together what happened to Gary from the time he left his house to the discovery of his lifeless body here in the park.”

Police said Mr Bennett, a refuse collector for Watford Borough Council, usually set off for work on his pedal bike at 5am.

It is unknown how his body came to be found at the park, five miles from his home, though police say he was probably picked up at 5am by someone he knew.

Det Spt Hanlon would not be drawn on whether or not a murder weapon had been found, nor on a description of the type of weapon used.

Mr Bennett, a single man who lived with his mother, was found outside a disused kiosk, towards the back entrance to the park next to Aldenham Reservoir where, police say, the gates would have been locked.

A post mortem was carried out late on Wednesday and his family have been informed.

Mr Bennett was not known to police in any way and they are trying to build a picture of his character and his life to determine what happened.

Det Spt Hanlon said the area is not known for crime and that at the moment in their eyes it is nothing other than a beauty spot.

He said: “We have a large number of possible witnesses as the cars in the car park obviously belong to people who came to walk their dogs or jog around the park.”

“If anyone has any information at all, no matter how insignificant you might think it is, please get in touch.”

Call the non emergency number, in confidence, on 0845 33 00 222 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 with information.