A British man has pleaded guilty to having killed his ex-wife at their son’s burial site. The incident took place in 2023 on the day of the 20th anniversary of their son’s death. Here’s how the disturbing incident unfolded.
Ann Blackwood was murdered at her son’s burial site on July 24, 2023. The woman met her unfortunate end at the hands of her ex-husband, Martin Suter. The man pleaded guilty to killing his ex-wife, aged 71, last year.
🚨A murder investigation has been launched after a woman, 71, died in Crofton Cemetery @dailyecho pic.twitter.com/xW0syNMCBd
— Maya (@journo_maya) July 25, 2023
Suter and Blackwood’s son, Christopher, passed away at 16 years old. He was buried at the site in 2003 after his death. Suter was taken into custody and charged with the murder of his ex-wife days after she died.
A Metro UK report revealed that the 71-year-old woman was attacked at her son’s burial site by Suter. She died on the spot after the alleged attack at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington.
The publication notes that the neighborhood where the Crofton Cemetery is located in boasts a low crime rate. A resident of the neighborhood noted how a violent crime like Blackwood’s murder isn’t a common occurrence in the community.
24 July 2023: Ann Blackwood, 71, was found fatally injured in a cemetery in Stubbington, Hampshire. Her ex-husband, Martin Suter, 66, has been charged with murder pic.twitter.com/Sd37fXhNPQ
— CountingDeadWomen (@CountDeadWomen) August 1, 2023
A Hampshire police spokesman noted that they received a report at 3.4 pm about a woman being assaulted. When they arrived at the scene, they found out Blacwood had been brutally assaulted at the cemetery.
“She was treated initially by police officers and our colleagues from South Central Ambulance Service, but was pronounced dead a short time later,” the spokesperson shared.
“You never expect something so horrific to happen so close to home, especially in such a friendly community,” the same resident told Metro UK. She pointed out that many young families and retirees lived in the neighborhood, making it a “peaceful area.” Other residents of the locality had the same reactions on hearing about the incident.
An elderly woman who was looking after her grandkids at the time of the incident was left shocked by the murder. “I saw there was an ambulance and emergency services there,” she noted. The woman also recalled responders performing CPR on a woman.
#Tribute.
The family of 71 year-old Ann Blackwood from Lee-On-The-Solent who died at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington on Monday have described her as a “loving, caring, kind-hearted mother and friend”.Read more: https://t.co/7W6ykaNzmj pic.twitter.com/p8guxxMbIF
— Fareham Police (@FarehamPolice) July 27, 2023
Blackwood’s family described her as a “loving, caring, kind-hearted mother and friend.” The family noted how the 71-year-old’s daughters, brothers, and their families were devastated upon hearing about her death.
Her family shared that Ann was “very popular” in her local community. The woman was enjoying her retirement before she was brutally murdered by her ex-husband. Blackwood had an “active lifestyle which included tennis, sailing, cycling, and music,” according to her family. Suter was reportedly a local politician and a member of the Green Party. He also ran for council elections several times.
