Karen Reed, 33, was shot dead on her doorstep in April 1994, but her killer has never been found despite police pursuing thousands of lines of enquiry in the decades since
Police investigating the 30-year murder of a woman shot dead at point-blank range by a man disguised as a pizza delivery driver remain “determined” to find the killer.
Karen Reed, 33, was at her home in Woking on April 30, 1994, when she answered the door and found a man holding a blue and white pizza box. He asked her to confirm the address and when she died, shot her five times. An ambulance was called but Karen sadly died at the scene.
Police believe the murder was a contract killing and Karen – who had no involvement in any criminal activity – was the victim of mistaken identity. Despite pursuing more than 3,000 lines of enquiry and obtaining 1,700 statements, Karen’s killer has never been identified.
Ahead of the 30-year anniversary horror next week, police have released a statement. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Hicks said: “Even though 30 years have passed since the murder of Karen Reed, we remain determined to find those responsible for her death.
“Somebody out there knows who killed her – whether it’s the individual who pulled the trigger, or those who were assigned to arrange this contract killing and we urge them to come forward so that justice is done for Karen and her family and friends. Karen was an innocent young woman who was loved by those who knew her. She had absolutely no involvement in criminal activity, and we have always believed this murder was a case of mistaken identity and a contract killing which went wrong.
“It’s time for the people who know what happened to do the right thing and come forward to help us.”
Two weeks before Karen’s murder, officers had pursued a car acting suspiciously in the Woking area. The driver of the red Vauxhall Cavalier left the vehicle and ran away. Inside the car officers found an automatic pistol fitted with a silencer as well as a marked map to The Barnsbury Estate in Woking.
As well as this, they found a large black-handled commando knife in a black leather sheath, a black Delsey Bag plus a rare Olney blue tartan cap. Investigating officers believe this was the driver’s first attempt at carrying out the assassination.
The murder, known as Operation Lilac, was featured on Crimewatch in March 2021 but still remains unsolved. Anyone with information which could help the investigation is asked to contact police
