A Crime of Evidence Alone: The Murder of Claire Josephs

About this episode

The episode discusses the murder of Claire Josephs and the groundbreaking forensic evidence that led to a conviction.

Send us Fan Mail A newlywed found murdered. No weapon. No witnesses. No motive. In 1968, 20-year-old Claire Josephs was brutally killed in her home in Bromley, England. What followed would change criminal justice forever. With nothing but blood typing, fiber analysis, and emerging forensic science, investigators built a case against Roger Payne—marking the first murder conviction in England based solely on forensic evidence. But decades later, after appeals, an escape, and a new identity… que...

People in this episode

Hosts: Miss Ruby Wilde, Miss Mei Day

Topics covered

• forensic science
• murder investigation
• criminal justice
• 1960s crime
• case study

Keywords

• Claire Josephs
• Roger Payne
• forensic evidence
• murder case
• Bromley
• 1968
• criminal justice

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Bromley, England

More episodes of Vintage Homicide: A true crime podcast

• Murder, Mystery, and Old Greeny · June 5, 2026 · 54 min
• Valentine's Day Massacre: Part 3 · April 3, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Valentine's Day Massacre: Part 2 · March 13, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Valentine's Day Massacre: Part 1 · February 19, 2026 · 53 min
• Jeffrey MacDonald and the MacDonald Family Murders · July 25, 2025 · 36 min
• The Neverending Story: Sacco and Vanzetti · June 13, 2025 · 35 min