The grandson of a woman brutally murdered 31 years ago has spoken of his hope that her killer can still be caught.
Glaswegian Ann Heron, 44, was found on the lounge floor of her luxury home outside Darlington, County Durham, in a pool of blood.
Her bikini bottoms had been removed and her throat slashed.
Robert Cockburn, now 32, was just 18 months old when his gran was killed. At the time, he was living with his family in Arden on the banks of Loch Lomond.
He is angry that he never got the chance to know his grandmother or show her his son, Robert jnr, who is six weeks old.
Now based in California, his only memory of her is a photograph of him with his gran and his older brother Ralph jnr shortly before her murder on August 3, 1990.
Robert and his former police officer dad, Ralph snr, regularly speak about her unsolved murder.
He said: “When I was young, dad took me down to Darlington to see her several times but I was too young to remember that. The only memory I have is the photograph, which is very precious.
“What happened to her was unimaginable and I still hope and pray that the person responsible will be brought to justice.
“I would say if you have any information on her murder, please come forward and tell police.”
Former nurse Ann had been sunbathing in the grounds of Aeolian House, in the north east of England, where she lived with her second husband, wealthy haulage contractor Peter Heron.
It’s believed she was attacked after disturbing an intruder. Witnesses described seeing a man driving a blue saloon car away from the property at high speed around 5pm.
An hour later, Peter arrived home and discovered his wife’s body.
Robert can’t remember when he was first told of his gran’s death but was aware of the terrible event as he grew up.
He added: “Over the years, dad and I have talked often about gran, she has always been there in my life.
“Last year was the 30th anniversary of her murder, which was a big thing for our family.”
In 2003, Robert emigrated from Glasgow to the city of Hemet, California, with his mum Aileen, brother Ralph and sister Catherine.
He spent four years in the US Navy and now works as a carpenter. He married wife Lacie in 2017 and she gave birth last month to their first son, Robert jnr.
Robert normally visits Scotland every 12 months to see family but missed out last year because of the pandemic. He added: “I would loved to have brought baby Robert over to see gran or for her to come here. Our family have missed out on all the good times we could have shared with her because of this terrible crime.”
Ann’s only other surviving child, Ann Marie, lives in Wemyss Bay, Renfrewshire, with her two grown-up sons. She said their mother adored kids and would have loved helping out with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She added: “It’ such an injustice she wasn’t there to experience it.
Ralph snr, a detective constable with Strathclyde Police at the time of her death, quit the force due to ill health in 1996, in part caused by her murder.
Now an insurance claims investigator in Leicestershire, the 57-year-old told the Sunday Mail: “Even after 31 years, I’m still hopeful someone has information that would lead to the identification of the person who killed our mother and finally bring us some closure.”
Ann’s husband Peter was arrested in 2005 after a cold case review but charges were dropped when he provided a concrete alibi.
A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: “The murder of Ann Heron has been thoroughly investigated and subject to constant review. It is still our ambition to convict the person responsible.”
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