The Metropolitan Police have concluded that MI6 spy Gareth Williams, whose body was discovered in a padlocked bag in his London flat in 2010, most likely died in a tragic accident and locked himself inside the holdall. This finding contradicts the coroner's verdict last year that he was probably unlawfully killed.
Detective Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt stated that after a three-year investigation, there was insufficient evidence to definitively determine the circumstances of Williams's death. However, he said the evidence pointed to Williams being alone when he died, and that the possibility of a third party's involvement could not be ruled out 'beyond doubt'.
The investigation found no signs of forced entry or DNA evidence suggesting another person was present at the time of death. Forensic examinations of the flat, a security service safe house, revealed no fingerprints on the padlock or bath rim, which the coroner had previously cited as supporting third-party involvement. Hewitt noted it was theoretically possible for Williams to have lowered himself into the bag without touching the bath rim.
Williams's family expressed disappointment with the police findings, stating they agreed with the coroner's conclusion that he was likely killed unlawfully. The police interviewed 27 of Williams's colleagues from MI6 and GCHQ, but found no animosity or motive for harm against him. The investigation has been wound down, though it remains under review.
