JAMIE Boughen murdered drug dealer Eliza Bibby in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire in January 2023.
The investigation into her murder is the focus of Channel 4’s 24 Hours In Police Custody: Murder on Prescription.
BBCJamie Boughen was convicted of the murder of Eliza Bibby[/caption]
According to the detective in charge of the case, Eliza Bibby was targeted because of her ‘vulnerability’Police Handout
Who is Jamie Boughen?
Jamie Boughen is a convicted murderer.
In early January 2023, Eliza Bibby, 47, was discovered in a pool of blood at her home in Beechwood Avenue, Wisbech.
Ms Bibby sold controlled and prescription drugs from her bungalow.
Boughen was one of her customers.
He was convicted of the murder of Ms Bibby in October 2023.
What did Jamie Boughen do?
Boughen, then 47 and from Waterlees Road in Wisbech, was found guilty of stabbing Ms Bibby to death.
On the roof of some garages located close to Beechwood Avenue, an 8.2in (21cm) knife was found, which had traces of DNA from both Boughen and Ms Bibby on it.
When interviewed by police, Boughen denied killing Ms Bibby, saying he couldn’t remember what he was doing the night she was murdered.
Det Insp Dale Mepstead, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, opened up about the case on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.
She explained that the investigation was initially hampered by the fact Ms Bibby was “involved in drug dealing” due to the number of people coming and going from her bungalow.
Boughen was caught on CCTV in his shared accommodation doing his laundry not long after returning from Eliza Bibby’s home — the day before she was found dead.
The detective said: “It was very difficult trying to tease out whether they were not telling the truth because they were involved in Eliza’s murder or whether they were not telling the truth because they were not telling the truth to try to minimise their involvement in, essentially, drug use.
“There is normally a reason behind people with addiction issues.
“That actually is a vulnerability. Without a doubt, Eliza was targeted because of that.”
BBCBoughen seen on CCTV in his shared accommodation doing his laundry shortly after returning from Eliza Bibby’s bungalow[/caption]
And speaking about the portrayal of Wisbech in the Channel 4 documentary, Det Insp Mepstead said: “I think it captured quite a lot of poorer deprived areas of Wisbech.
“I imagine that people that live there are going to be quite disappointed.
“When we have spoken to lots of people during the investigation that live in that area, they are very much of the view that there are no opportunities and, actually, crime and addiction was the only way forward for them.
“I think it does highlight some of those issues.”
She added: “This was a tragic case which really exposes the devastating consequences of drug addiction, and my thoughts remain with Eliza’s family.”
How long was Jamie Boughen sentenced to spend in prison?
In October 2023, Boughen was convicted of Ms Bibby’s murder.
He was given a mandatory life sentence.
A judge at Cambridge Crown Court told Boughen he would serve a minimum term of 22 years before being considered for parole.