Murder of 18-year-old Vera Guest
Ronald Bertram Mauri 1913-1945
Executed 31st October 1945:
18-year-old Vera Guest, body was found in the evening of Wednesday the 11th July 1945, at 105 Deancroft Crescent, in Hillingdon, Middlesex. She had been hit over the head and strangled with a silk scarf.
Wanted in connection with the murder was Ronald Bertram Mauri, a 32 years old lorry driver whose description was 5ft. 7in. in height, stockily built, hair fair and straight parted on the side, hazel eyes with cast in the right one, fair complexion, clean shaven, with a scar on the left cheek and a broken nose.
He was first seen on the Friday afternoon the 13th at Nutbourne, six miles miles from Chichester on the borders of West Sussex and Hampshire, in a stolen car, but he got away, the chase was to go on for another 110 miles. During the chase he robbed Miss Mabel Hiley of her handbag containing about £80., in the Forest of Dean.
On Sunday, he was seen travelling at high speed going towards Monmouth from the direction of Ross-on-Wye. He stopped at a farm in Monmouthshire for more petrol, and was spotted by part-time special constable Fred Gittoes, who worked on the farm, and noticed he was heading for the Black Mountains of Monmouthshire, he phoned the police who went in search of him with Blood-hounds and Soldiers.
It all came to a climax that night, Sunday the 15th July during a violent thunderstorm, Mauri was cornered and asked to give himself up, he answered with a shot from his revolver. Inspector Bishop replied with his shotgun, and Mauri was hit in the head, and fell into the River Monnow. Police pulled him out and took him to hospital.
On Tuesday afternoon the 17th July he was taken by car from Monmouth Hospital to Uxbridge Police Station in Middlesex, and charged with the murder of Vera Guest.
Born Rinaldo Bertram Mauri in Southampton Hampshire in 1913. His parents, both separated from their respective partners, were Tobia Mauri and Kate Effemy. Tobia was born in Italy in about 1872, and died aged 57 in London in 1929.
Kate was born at Michelmersh, Hampshire in 1873, by the age of 18 years, she was house-keeper to widower Charles Henry Tegues, who she married in 1891, Kate was 18 years old and Charles 33 years old, she gave birth to four children between 1892-1898. She left her husband and children and moved in with Tobia Mauri, who she had four more children between 1909-1915. Charles Tegues died in 1918, and Kate and Tobia married in 1921.
Mauri married Irene Paterson in 1940 and a daughter was born a year later. The marriage didn't last and Mauri, a lorry driver was left to look-after his daughter.
Vera Guest was born in 1927 the youngest daughter of Arthur and Eliza Ann nee Pearce. After the death of her parents 1942, 1944 respectively, she went to live with her sister and brother-in-law Eleanor and Arthur Barnaby in Nottingham. Mauri became acquainted with Vera because he was employed by the same firm as Barnaby.
In April 1945 Mauri and Vera came down to London and stayed with Mauri's sister and brother-in-law Eileen Nora Margaret and Frank Lake, who lived in Hillingdon North West London.
What happened on the 11th July, to make Mauri kill Vera is unknown. At his trial at the Old Bailey, he stated he intended killing six more people, before killing himself. Maybe he hoped to get a guilty but insane verdict.
He was found guilty before Mr. Justice Tucker and sentenced to death. Executed at Wandsworth Prison in South London on the 31st October 1945 by Albert Pierrepoint and Henry Critchell.
Wanted in connection with the murder was Ronald Bertram Mauri, a 32 years old lorry driver whose description was 5ft. 7in. in height, stockily built, hair fair and straight parted on the side, hazel eyes with cast in the right one, fair complexion, clean shaven, with a scar on the left cheek and a broken nose.
He was first seen on the Friday afternoon the 13th at Nutbourne, six miles miles from Chichester on the borders of West Sussex and Hampshire, in a stolen car, but he got away, the chase was to go on for another 110 miles. During the chase he robbed Miss Mabel Hiley of her handbag containing about £80., in the Forest of Dean.
On Sunday, he was seen travelling at high speed going towards Monmouth from the direction of Ross-on-Wye. He stopped at a farm in Monmouthshire for more petrol, and was spotted by part-time special constable Fred Gittoes, who worked on the farm, and noticed he was heading for the Black Mountains of Monmouthshire, he phoned the police who went in search of him with Blood-hounds and Soldiers.
It all came to a climax that night, Sunday the 15th July during a violent thunderstorm, Mauri was cornered and asked to give himself up, he answered with a shot from his revolver. Inspector Bishop replied with his shotgun, and Mauri was hit in the head, and fell into the River Monnow. Police pulled him out and took him to hospital.
On Tuesday afternoon the 17th July he was taken by car from Monmouth Hospital to Uxbridge Police Station in Middlesex, and charged with the murder of Vera Guest.
Born Rinaldo Bertram Mauri in Southampton Hampshire in 1913. His parents, both separated from their respective partners, were Tobia Mauri and Kate Effemy. Tobia was born in Italy in about 1872, and died aged 57 in London in 1929.
Kate was born at Michelmersh, Hampshire in 1873, by the age of 18 years, she was house-keeper to widower Charles Henry Tegues, who she married in 1891, Kate was 18 years old and Charles 33 years old, she gave birth to four children between 1892-1898. She left her husband and children and moved in with Tobia Mauri, who she had four more children between 1909-1915. Charles Tegues died in 1918, and Kate and Tobia married in 1921.
Mauri married Irene Paterson in 1940 and a daughter was born a year later. The marriage didn't last and Mauri, a lorry driver was left to look-after his daughter.
Vera Guest was born in 1927 the youngest daughter of Arthur and Eliza Ann nee Pearce. After the death of her parents 1942, 1944 respectively, she went to live with her sister and brother-in-law Eleanor and Arthur Barnaby in Nottingham. Mauri became acquainted with Vera because he was employed by the same firm as Barnaby.
In April 1945 Mauri and Vera came down to London and stayed with Mauri's sister and brother-in-law Eileen Nora Margaret and Frank Lake, who lived in Hillingdon North West London.
What happened on the 11th July, to make Mauri kill Vera is unknown. At his trial at the Old Bailey, he stated he intended killing six more people, before killing himself. Maybe he hoped to get a guilty but insane verdict.
He was found guilty before Mr. Justice Tucker and sentenced to death. Executed at Wandsworth Prison in South London on the 31st October 1945 by Albert Pierrepoint and Henry Critchell.