What happens when we let love cloud our judgment to the point that we fail to recognize the obvious warning signs in our partners? Everyone should consider the lessons that can be learned from the unfortunate events that befell retired postman Bill Williamson. The 82-year-old was murdered by her former lover for the money he stole from her after taking advantage of him on several occasions and stealing from her only once.
The documentary titled “Deadly Women: DIY Burial” on Investigation Discovery follows investigators as they track down his partner, Ann Browning, and ultimately nail him for her murder. We’ve got you covered if you’re interested in the case and want to know all about it. After that, how about discovering more information about Ann Browning?
Ann Browning, Bill Williamson’s Killer
Who is Ann Browning?
Ann Browning, a 54-year-old freelance housekeeper, lived on Milton’s Crescent in Ockford Ridge, located in Godalming, Surrey. She was divorced twice and had two sons from her previous marriages. At a local historical society gathering in 2007, Ann had first met Bill Williamson, then 82 and a retired postman and widower. Mary, who was 91 when she died, was married to Bill, but after his death in 2004 Bill lived alone in their home on Church Road in Milford. It was said that he had no children.
According to court testimony, Bill was an elderly recluse who longed for the company of others. When they met, Ann had just divorced her second husband, and the two immediately hit it off. Since Bill was in a comfortable financial situation, he was able to help Ann by giving her money for various expenses, such as gas and dental care. It was believed that he even changed his will to ensure that she would inherit the majority of his estate. The turning point came when he allegedly found her taking money from him. After that, everything changed.
Bill suspected Ann of helping him open a bank account, from which £1,200 had gone missing. Bill claimed Ann withdrew a total of £200 from an ATM on six occasions using a payment card he was unaware of. It was stated that she had used the money to acquire premium bonds with a face value of one thousand pounds a few days later. Ann claimed that Bill withdrew the money from his own account, but due to his advanced age completely forgot about it. On the other hand, because there was no evidence that she committed any violation, she was never charged with a crime.
Bill’s acquaintances had warned him to be careful about Ann, and it was claimed the two no longer lived together. During this period, she also tried to reconcile her relationship with her ex-husband, but her efforts were in vain. In March 2009, Ann and Bill got back together, contrary to the predictions of her close friends. The second time around, the two got to the point in their relationship where Ann managed to persuade Bill to sell his house on Church Road, and Bill managed to convince Ann to do the same with her house on Milton’s Crescent. They both intended to start a new life together, and Bill had agreed to their plans. He even gave Ann a £6,000 loan so she could buy a new Kia vehicle.
After selling his house on Church Road for £246,924, Bill moved out of his Church Road residence on September 10, 2010. The funds were transferred to the account the two share and he moved into Ann’s house. Hours after Bill arrived at the residence, prosecutors claimed she murdered him with a rounders bat. She then resumed her normal life, going to the theater, playing bingo with friends, and even shopping with her credit cards. She went so far as to register her red Mazda automobile in her name and transfer the money from the sale of Bill’s property, which totaled £140,000, to her own personal bank account.
When Bill failed to show up for his appointment for his flu shot, a GP called the police and shortly afterwards law enforcement officers knocked on his door. She deliberately misled the police by claiming he had traveled to Ireland to pay his respects at the funeral of a family member. Additionally, she said Bill’s automobile was vandalized, but cops discovered it was parked a few blocks away. She was placed under arrest after police discovered surveillance footage of her taking money from Bill’s account and finding his car registration in his name.
On October 8, 2010, police discovered Bill’s bruised and naked body buried in a makeshift grave in his back garden. The grave was located in his garden. Her legs were tied with a belt and the rest of her body was covered with a shower curtain. On October 7, 2010, she voluntarily admitted her guilt for the crime. She reportedly told investigators: “Yes, I confess to his murder, I killed him.” However, she denied any form of financial purpose behind the killing and said it was all down to the heat of the moment. She was reportedly arrested for the crime.
Where is Ann Browning today?
Ann insisted she would have visited after her son’s wedding in October 2010, which took place in 2010. She claimed: ‘I love my son so much I didn’t want to disturb his fun because married the girl of his dreams. However, the court did not accept her apology and found her guilty of killing Bill. She was sentenced to life in prison.
In August 2011, she was sentenced to life with the provision that she must serve a minimum of 25 years. On top of that, a forfeiture order in the amount of £250,293 was issued against her which said she was to pay her in restitution to Bill’s estate in Surrey. She is currently serving her sentence in a prison in Surrey when she was in her 60s at the time.
