New evidence has emerged in the unsolved murder of BBC presenter Jill Dando, potentially linking the crime to Serbian double-killer Milorad Ulemek. The revelations include testimony from two key eyewitnesses and analysis from a facial comparison expert.
Facial Recognition Analysis Points to Suspect
In April 2024, The Daily Mirror first named Milorad Ulemek in connection with the killing after facial comparison expert Emi Polito found he was identical to the unidentified 'Man X' captured on CCTV. This individual was filmed following the gunman's likely escape route after Dando was shot dead outside her Gowan Avenue home in Fulham at 11:30am on Monday, 26 April 1999.
Mr Polito's report concluded that, within the limitations of the blurry imagery, no differences were found between Man X and Ulemek regarding their mouth, chin, hairline, sideburn, and the general shape and size of their nose and right ear. However, he could only offer limited support for them being the same person due to the poor image quality.
Eyewitnesses Come Forward with Crucial Accounts
Minutes after the initial story was published, a key witness came forward identifying Ulemek as the man she saw running from the scene. The woman, a carer in her 40s, told police the day after the murder that a man in a dark suit had a 'startled look on his face'.
After seeing Ulemek's picture in the Mirror, she stated: 'I said to my other half, it's him. I'm adamant that is one and the same person that I saw run down the road... Yes, I've no doubt.' She was one of four witnesses who described seeing a man in a suit running down Fulham Palace Road towards the Tube station.
In a major update in April 2025, a second witness, a van driver, came forward. He told police that two days after the murder, a man in a dark suit sprinted in front of his Ford Transit on the same stretch of road. After viewing pictures of Ulemek, he told the Daily Mirror: 'He does look like the man I saw.' The witness said the man ran into Bishops Park, close to Dando's home.
Serbian Connection and Motive
Another vital piece of evidence came from Ulemek's former spymaster, Dragan Filipovic. He admitted that one of his commandos carried out a 'secret reprisal action' in Europe in the spring of 1999, a period that coincides with Dando's murder.
At the time, the Yugoslav war was raging, and UK planes were bombing Serbia. Ulemek, then 31, led a unit targeting opponents of Serb dictator Slobodan Milosevic. A source with knowledge of Serbian security services stated they have 'very little doubt this assassination was planned and executed by some circles in Serbia.'
This new evidence presents the most significant development in years for the cold case investigation into the murder of the beloved 37-year-old Crimewatch presenter.
