In the early evening of 23 August 2010, Gareth Williams, a GCHQ cryptologist on secondment to MI6, was found dead inside a large holdall in his flat at 36 Alderney Street, London. The flat was regularly used by MI6 for their employees. Williams was considered to be a mathematical genius by some of his colleagues and former tutors. His death caused a media frenzy for a number of reasons; his links to the world of intelligence, presumed ‘geekiness’ and the bizarre nature of his death attracted international attention. The failings of MI6, who failed to notice his absence and the findings of the inquest that his death “unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated” added more fuel to the already baking fire of speculation.
I reviewed th case for the Metropolitan Police who ultimately concluded that Williams had been alone when he died and that his death was the result of a bizarre accident.