The Unknown Victim of Alfred Rouse
Unsolved
Often when one is caught in the act of murder, the case is clear, open and shut, but the case of Alfred Rouse the case is a little more complicated than that.
It was the 5th of November in 1930, Guy Fawkes night as it is commonly known, and people celebrate it with a number of bonfires throughout England, many stayed up late not returning home until the morning hours of the next day. Two men specifically who had been walking home from Northampton noticed a fire, surely this wasn’t anything out of the ordinary until they investigated it to find out it wasn’t a bonfire at all, but a flaming car, a car with a person inside, their body engulfed and charred beyond recognition. Police were summoned promptly and were able to determine by the number plate that the car belong to a man named Alfred Author Rouse but there was one thing that didn’t make sense, Alfred was alive and well and had plenty to do with the body in his car. Alfred was born in 1894 in London to parents who would end up separating when he was around six years of age when his mother deserted the family. Alfred with his two siblings was sent to live with his aunt and did well in school he had a certain affinity for music and was noted for his great musical ability, among being able to play the piano, violin, and mandolin he was also an impressive singer, aside from all of this he was also a skilled carpenter, Alfred eventually took up a job working for a furniture manufacturer, but on august 8th, 1914 Alfred’s world forever changed when he re-enlisted when a war broke out in Europe. He came close to death a number of times, perhaps to worst during the final day of an intense battle when a high explosive shell detonated close to his location. Alfred sustained severe injuries to one of his thighs and his head. Alfred had shrapnel lodged in his brain and had to undergo surgery to remove it, his leg was permanently damaged and was unable to walk without great difficulty for the rest of his life, he spent extended periods of time in army hospitals and in 1915 was determined to have his capacity reduced by 3 quarters leading to his inevitable discharge from the army, the following year a doctor noted that Alfred had considerable memory loss, but enough about the killer’s life lets go straight to the burning car with the unidentified victim. Allegedly once arrested Alfred confessed to picking up a man, needing to use the restroom Alfred step out of the car and sitting in the passenger seat was his new friend lighting a cigarette, Alfred claimed the fire was all the man’s fault, but if that was the case why didn’t Alfred go straight to the police? but the wasn’t the only suspicious thing. While standing trial Alfred commented about the many women he had slept with while working as a salesman he referred these women as harem and when that information leaked out into the newspapers Alfred had lost a lot of favor with the public, he had also been unable to explain why he had picked up this unnamed person and went even further into damnation when he explained that the man was someone that nobody would miss, but the most damning evidence was when a car expert realized that someone had forcefully turned a nut and screw which allowed gas to flow into the motor making a fire much easier to set. The court came to the conclusion that Alfred was trying to fake his own death. With everything stacked against him, he was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death. Alfred confessed to the murder but never to the identity of the victim shortly before he was hanged on March 10th, 1931. Even to this day no one who the victim was.
Sources: Rob Dyke, Murderpedia, BBC
